A Little Crowded
by crayolaheart
Summary: Charlie is a prodigy in our world, destined for greatness, when suddenly she's thrown into the world of Naruto. Fortunately, she's got a cheat sheet in her brain by the name of Minato Namikaze, and a will to change whatever she can to make the Narutoverse a better place. Unfortunately, the bad guys want her, and now her head's a little crowded. MinatoxOC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome to this new fic. I've posted the first two chapters as an intro. Let me know what you think, feedback always welcomed. Sidebar, not trying to make this OC overpowered; just trying to have an interesting take on this type of story.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 1**

Charlie was a smart girl.

Always had been. Even in elementary school, she was the six year old in the fifth graders' class. She was a workaholic, too, from pretty much the womb. Well, at that time all she'd worked on were her mother's nerves, but you get the point. She was smart. Equally, she was a sophomore in college, and liked to think herself an adult by now (though really, she was still only 17).

An adult. One who didn't have irrational visions, stupidly vivid dreams about someone she'd once enjoyed watching on the television when she was in middle school. And certainly one who didn't find themselves in the belly of a shinigami with him. Yet, here we were.

It had been a sudden thing, really. Charlie hadn't died or anything. In fact, she was in a hospital job shadowing, so if she had even been ill, she would've been treated for it by now. But it was sudden; one moment, she was asking the radiologist what it was like to be a radiologist (boring, she suspected), and the next, her eyes were snapping open to a blank whitish-yellow void.

And then there was _him_. Staring down at her with impossibly bright eyes, asking her if she was okay, like she hadn't just popped into existence. She recognized him, though of course, how could she not? Her eidetic memory recalled everything she'd ever seen, including the embarassing cartoons she used to find entertaining.

So maybe she wasn't an adult, then. Maybe she wasn't as smart, or as grown as she thought she was, because certainly smart, grown people don't fantasize of being locked up in a void with Minato Namikaze. Or maybe she'd hit her head and all her brain cells had flown the coop. Either way, there was no way in fresh hell that what was happening was really happening.

Ignoring him, Charlie set to bashing her head against the ground she lied on, hoping it would jostle something and send her back where she came from. It did nothing, of course, but make the cartoon guy stare owlishly at her.

"Um, what are you doing?" he inquired gently, tactfully as if this happened all the time.

"Trying to go back," Charlie replied, the 'obviously' implied in her tone, before smashing her head into the floor again. Her brain was starting to pound against her skull, but maybe that meant it was working.

"I don't think it works that way," the man replied. His hands were ghosting the air in front of her, like he was trying to stop her but too scared to at the same time.

"It's gonna have to work that way." She turned onto her stomach, intent on working the front half of her skull, but was finally pulled up onto her knees by the man.

He had a sheepish expression on his face. "Sorry, but I would've been out of here a long time ago if knocking myself into a coma had worked," he stated, a half-smile on his handsome face. "My name is Mina-"

"-to Namikaze. I know. And that's exactly why I'm trying to wake myself up here, so if you'd excuse me-" Charlie made to jerk out of his hold, but his grip on her shoulders clamped down like a vice.

"Why do you think you're asleep?" Minato asked curiously.

"Because you're not real!" Charlie burst, irritated beyond belief. If they hadn't moved her body to a gurney by now, they would soon. "And I'm in the middle of a job shadow! I don't know why I passed out, or how I ended up here, but I'm going back! I have a life, you know!"

The girl threw herself out of his arms, reddish-brown hair slapping him in the face as she swiveled on her heel and stalked some distance away. The man just sighed, and knowingly sat down to wait her out.

Okay. So maybe banging her head didn't work. That meant pinching herself was out of the question, because she definitely could feel the pain, but what else would work? Sleeping?

She humphed, maybe that could be her ticket. Charlie curled onto her side, closing her eyes meaningfully against the penetrating gaze of her roommate. A few tense minutes past before she turned her back to him. And then she lied on her stomach. Her back...

"Goddamn it would you stop staring at me!" she screamed in his direction, only to lose steam as she noticed that he wasn't looking at her at all. In fact, his eyes were closed.

Well, _were_ closed. "I've never been able to fall asleep here," Minato confided, now meeting her dark auburn eyes with his own. "Perhaps you should look into a different theory other than being asleep," he added.

"Very helpful, thank you," Charlie retorted sardonically. He did have a point though. What else was there besides being passed out though? Could she really have died or something? "I didn't die," she said resolutely, more to herself than anything. She would've remembered it, just like she remembered everything else.

"Maybe you didn't. Though that's how I ended up here," Minato replied.

"I know, shut up. I'm trying to _think_," she grunted, clenching her eyes shut in concentration.

Her mind opened up to her, like it always did. The great labyrinth of her memories, and she strolled through it like she did every day, knowing the way as well as the back of her hand. Memories flashed in front of her eyes, the two days namely. She remembered waking up the day before, calling her mom, going to class, going home, studying, working, never eating of course because that interrupted her brain function, and then sleeping. She remembered waking up today, going to class, job shadowing a boring radiologist for her stupid biology project, sitting in the x-ray room. She remembered spinning in the swivel chair next to the man, her Converse squeaking on the linoleum, the fluorescent lights above her. She remembered his voice when she asked him what, exactly, he did, and she remembered the last words she'd heard, which were, "-and then I coordinate with-" And then nothing.

Her eyes snapped open again. "I didn't die," she reiterated, now certain. "I felt no pain, I had no inclination anything was wrong, breathing rate was normal, I had adequate sleep, I-"

"So maybe you ended up here because someone put you here," Minato cut her off. "Perhaps you're here for no reason at all. But I can assure you that despite what you may think, this is real, and though I'm a ghost I'm still a part of reality. And so are you. This is no vision, this is a separate plane. By whatever means, you're stuck here."

Charlie's throat felt stuffed full of cotton as she stared at him. She could feel her bottom lip jut out petulantly before she spun around, not wanting him to see her expression. There was no way in hell. It... it felt real. She didn't feel like she was in a dream, or a separate plane, or whatever. She just felt normal, solid, and... fine. Despite the circumstances.

Abruptly, she stood, and began sprinting forward. "What are you doing?" Minato called in confusion, though she kept running until he was just a speck on the horizon. She wanted to see if there was anything else, if there was any_one _else, though a growing part of her was beginning to believe that it was her and Minato and nothing else.

"Damn it, how big is this place?" Charlie yelled, and it echoed as if to mock her. It seemed to go on for an infinity. She felt herself start to panic, the way she always did when faced with something she couldn't understand, and rubbed her shaking hands on her jeans nervously. It scared her. This scared her. Whether it was her mind conjuring it or real, she was terrified now. Terrified of not being able to escape, of being here for... for forever.

Reluctantly, she turned on her heel, marching back to the young Hokage like a stick had erected itself in her ass. The man in question had a concerned expression on his face as she returned, forehead scrunched. "I was about to come after you. Once you lose sight of me, it will be very hard to return, and I don't think you want to be alone." He came a little closer to her.

Charlie found herself staring at him like he'd grown a third head, or like she was finally hearing the words coming from his mouth. He ducked his head down closer to her height, as he kind of towered over her. "Are you okay?"

Shit. Maybe he was real. Maybe she'd been an asshole to him for no reason. Maybe she had no hope at all of getting out of here.

It was on very rare occasions that Charlie found herself in situations she could not help. But when she did, she always panicked. She always ran. The only difference now was, there was nowhere to run to.

Maybe it was only logical that the moment her breath caught up to her, she started to sob hysterically.

Minato seemed to panic too, not used to crying women probably, and flitted around uselessly for a bit before nearing her hesitantly. She had fell to her knees on the ground, legs folded under her and arms covering her face from his view. There was no mistaking the teardrops on the lap of her jeans though, and so he gingerly mimicked her position, his knees barely touching hers.

"I can't understand how you're feeling right now, not exactly," he said quietly, "but I do give good hugs."

Charlie unabashedly threw herself at him, and he fell backwards with her caged in his arms. He let her lie on him, holding her tight as she cried her eyes out like the big baby she really was.

So maybe Charlie wasn't really an adult after all. That was fine. At least one of them had a handle on himself.

A time later, once her tears had dried and left her cheeks stiff, she untangled herself from him and sat up. "Sorry for being a jerk," she said roughly.

Absurdly, he had a cheeky grin on his face. "It happens."

"_This _doesn't, though," she mumbled, sitting back on her bottom and pulling her knees back to her chest. "This is a strange situation. I hate to admit it, but I'm not sure how to handle this."

Minato scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I've never seen anyone else here, either..."

Charlie breathed in deeply through her nose. '_C'mon, think! There were no signs that you'd done anything to cause this, so it was some outside force. Perhaps this is still your mind playing tricks on you, that would be the most logical explanation, but if so, the issue will resolve itself. Therefore, you should proceed with-'_

Something thunked her forehead.

Wide hazel eyes snapped up to meet electric blue. Minato lowered his finger, the same stupid smile on his face. "Steam was coming out of your ears," he fibbed.

She glared at him. "Perhaps you don't understand what I'm doing here. I'm trying to figure out a way to get out of here. It won't come to me chit chatting with you. If you're lucky, I'll find a way out for you, too." Though that was highly improbable.

Minato seemed to think the same. "Not gonna happen. Though," he sighed, "even if I haven't talked to another soul in _years_, I suppose I can try to help you out of here. Since it seems you're here by mistake."

"I don't think it was a mistake on my end," Charlie said, "I wasn't doing anything. In fact, where I'm from, we don't even have the ability to do seals like this."

His eyes widened and he leaned uncomfortably far forward. "Eh? What do you mean?"

Telling him wouldn't hurt anything, she supposed. Not when he couldn't really do anything with the information besides grill her for more. "Where I'm from, chakra isn't a thing. And you, and all your people, are a TV show. It's like... like a book, kind of?"

"A... book? And... wait, how do your people function without chakra then?" Oh, great. She had forgotten that Minato was one of those genius knowledge-sponge types, and from the way he was looking at her... he would be grilling her, indeed.

Charlie leaned back a bit from his intensity. "Yes. We have technology to get us places and to communicate over far distances."

"And what does this book cover? You knew my name..." Minato was blushing.

Charlie chuckled. "Not about you, really," she said, just to burst his bubble. He wilted a bit. "It's about your son," she added.

_That _got his attention.

The questions that poured from his mouth stumbled over eachother in a heap so tall that Charlie couldn't tell one word from the next.

Irked, she instinctively covered his mouth with her hand. "_Yes_, Naruto. It's about his life, and how he becomes a ninja and helps the village and such. I know almost everything there is to know about it, I've watched the whole series." She sighed at the look in his eyes, and glanced away. "You should be proud of him," she added quietly, "he's an excellent person."

She could feel his smile under her hand.

Over the next few countless hours, she revealed all she knew to him. She felt like she had a duty to; after all, he _was _his father. It wasn't fair for him to be so disconnected from the world he'd saved in the first place. She told him about his childhood, the good and the bad, and his journey to become the Hokage. She told him about his friends, his teachers, his bravery, his strength. Charlie wanted him to be proud; he deserved it.

Minato had a serene looking smile on his face as he listened to her recount many of his escapades. All his little adventures on his way to coming into who he was, and all the big adventures too.

Eventually, Charlie found herself lying on the strangely cool ground of the void that contained them, fingers laced behind her head neatly. Her tongue had grown tired of speaking, so she lied in silence, listening to the calm static of _nothing_. Minato was silent on his part as well, choosing to lean back on his elbows and stare thoughtfully out at the nothingness.

"You think highly of Naruto," Minato noted suddenly. Charlie's amber eyes opened halfway. "I can tell. I'm glad," he noted, giving a wider-than-usual grin.

Charlie fought down the sheepish blush that coated the tops of her cheeks. "It's hard _not _to like Naruto. Or at least to feel for him a little." Charlie shrugged. "Honestly, knowing all I know about him and how he's suffered, I would take his pain on myself so he could walk freely." She swallowed, redirecting her gaze to the blank space above her. "Then again, maybe that pain is necessary. Maybe it taught him to fight hard so that no one else would hurt as he did."

Minato was burning holes into the side of her face with the intensity of his stare.

'_Ah_, _but couldn't he have had _one _friend?_' her brain mumbled sullenly. Maybe if Naruto had had a companion from the beginning, if he had had at least _one _person to look out for him, he wouldn't have felt so utterly alone. If she could, she would do it in a heartbeat.

"Eh?" Minato suddenly blurted.

Charlie turned to stare at him in confusion.

"You're glowing," he pointed out.

Indeed she was. No, more like, the pale yellow swirls of energy around them were gathering in her, setting her skin ablaze. Though it did not hurt. Instead, she felt... _invigorated_. Like she could run a thousand laps around the sun. Energy was bursting through her skin now in little sparks, and it kept getting brighter, brighter, _brighter_-

Vaguely, she heard her companion's shout before the light consumed her.

Charlie was face-down on the ground.

She could tell, of course, by the scent of dirt in her nose, the feel of damp moss against her skin. Speaking of skin, she apparently was showing a lot of it, because the breeze that washed past her chilled her from her toes to her nose. '_Naked! I'm- naked!'_ she gaped, and sat up abruptly. Amber eyes wheeled wildly as she took in the area around her- a forest, from the looks of it, with trees as tall as skyscrapers and just as thick around. The air was murky, somehow, but fresh enough.

She glanced down at herself, then, and gaped. Not only was she, yes, naked, but she was also _teeny tiny_. She had been 17 when she'd disappeared, but somehow, someway, she was as flat as the day she was born, and about as curvy as a straight line. Her arms, legs, everything was _small_. How had that- why had this-?

'_What happened? Where am I, where's Minato?' _Because the last thing she remembered was him getting swallowed by the light just as she had.

Nervously, she got to her feet, the forest floor rough on her bare feet. This place was also unfamiliar to her- the trees looked comically big, and it had been nearing winter in Pennsylvania. Here, even the gigantic trees couldn't blot out the heat. "I don't even think I've ever seen them this big before," she mumbled aloud, craning her neck as far as it would go to see the branches that almost covered the sky. _'Then again, maybe they look so big because I'm so small_,' she thought sourly, looking down at herself again. Her body couldn't have been more than 10.

"Hello?" A voice called, disembodied but somewhere to her left. Charlie's eyes widened, and she dove for the cover of a tree trunk, crouching low and breathing hard.

"I know you're there," the voice called again. It was a boy's voice- if she had to put an age on it, probably under ten.

Charlie held her breath as his footsteps drew closer. The last thing she wanted was to be caught _naked_ in some _random forest_.

Just like that, the boy came into view. Charlie peeked from around the tree, and repressed a gasp as she saw just who had come around to see her.

He did look rather young, to her. He was in his orange and blue jumpsuit, though the green goggles around his neck told her that he hadn't graduated yet. He seemed to be older than she was, but only by a year or two perhaps.

"C'mon, I _heard _you..." Naruto muttered, squinting as he looked around.

Charlie grimaced. Should she out herself? She really _did _need clothes, and it wouldn't do to just waltz into his village wearing _nothing_. Besides, it was Naruto- he wouldn't do anything.

"Uh," she grunted, flushing in embarassment as his eyes locked on her. She hid most of her body behind the trunk, only allowing her head to peep out from behind the thick wood.

Naruto pointed at her. "There you are! I _knew _I heard something! Hey, why are you out here all alone-"

Charlie held a hand up as he started to advance towards her with his usual carefree grin. "Ah, sorry, I'm uh- I'm kind of-"

The blond froze in his tracks as he caught sight of bare hip. He gaped. "Wh-where's your clothes?!"

"I... I don't know." Charlie's face was beet red as she explained her situation, not daring to look the kid in the eyes. "I j-just woke up here," she continued, "I don't know w-where I am, or where my clothes are..." She finally managed to give the kid the most embarassed smile she'd ever given and said, "W-would you be able to find something for me to wear?"

He gave her a weird look before eventually nodding. "J-just... wait here?" She nodded, and he ran off.

Charlie sighed. '_What a first impression I've_ made,' she thought, sliding down to crouch on the forest floor. The last thing she remembered, she had been talking with Minato, and now she was here. None of it made sense, not a damn thing. Not the Minato situation, and definitely not _this _situation. '_Maybe someone slipped me shrooms._' Not that she knew what being on shrooms felt like, but it had to be _something_. This kind of thing didn't happen to normal people like her.

'_**Maybe something was triggered when you started talking about my**_** son,**' said a voice in her head.

The girl found herself nodding; that did make a little-

"H-HOLD ON!" she gasped out loud. '_Who the hell are you?!_' she thought furiously, because that definitely hadn't been _her _voice in her head.

'**_Minato,' _**Minato said, sounding amused. Charlie failed to see what was so humorous about this.

'_Why the fuck are you in my head, Minato?_' she grouched, grinding her palms into her eyes in her frustration.

**_'I'm- not sure, actually,_**' Minato confessed, '**_But I can see through your eyes, kind of, if I try. And hear through your ears._**

'_That's weird. Are you still... in that place, though?_'

'**_As far as I can tell. But I can hear your thoughts now..._**'

That was going to to be weird as shit if this continued.

'_Um, okay, awkward. Is it only when you focus, though?'_

_**So far, yes. I'm meditating to communicate to you. It's... strange, to see the forest again after so**_** _long_.'** His voice was wistful now, and the girl found herself scanning the forest slowly to give a better view.

'_I really don't know how to feel about this, Minato. Any of it. And I'm- I'm younger now. In a kid's body.'_

'_**That's stranger still. We'll have to bide our time, I suppose.**_'

Charlie's ears perked as she heard footsteps approaching. There was only one person it could be. '_Ah, Naruto's back,_' she thought, getting to her feet and wiping the dirt from her hands.

"Um, naked girl? I have clothes?" Naruto called from the trail he was on, sounding every bit as awkward as she felt. Indeed, there was a black bundle in his arms.

'_**My son**_,' Minato said, pride coloring his voice.

"It's Charlie," she said from behind her tree, peeking her head out to look at him. Naruto made his way through the waist-high bushes to hand her the clothes, a blush coloring his cheeks cutely.

She found herself grinning. "What's your name?" she asked as she unrolled the bundle. It was a simple black hoodie and what looked like a spare pair of his shorts.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he grumbled, refusing to look even in her general direction. The girl smirked a little as she tugged his shorts on, though her form drooped a little as she noticed that his shorts were way too baggy. She tied the strings as tight as they would go, but the shorts still hung low on what little hip action she had. Resolving to fix that issue later, Charlie shrugged the hoodie on, happy to finally be marginally warmer.

"Naruto, I'm decent," she voiced, emerging from behind the tree.

The blond boy glanced warily at her before turning fully. "S-so you said you don't remember why you woke up here?"

Charlie shook her head. "Where _is_ here, by the way?"

Naruto shrugged. "You're just outside the walls of Konoha. You... do know where that is, right?"

The redhead squinted. "_Yes_." And then she realized she should probably be nicer to him- he _had_ helped her out, after all. "Um, thanks for letting me borrow your clothes by the way," she added, scratching her cheek sheepishly.

Naruto nodded wordlessly. '_He's quieter than I'm used to_,' she thought absently. "Hey, not to intrude or anything, but would you be able to take me to your Hokage? I think he might be able to figure out more about... _this_."

"Uh, yeah, follow me." Naruto began to lead her through the woods, hands behind his head nonchalantly.

"So, how come you were outside the village, Naru-chan?" the redhead inquired casually.

Naruto's cheeks predictably flushed at the nickname, and he whipped his head around to stare at her. She merely gave him a close-eyed smile. "I was skipping Academy," he mumbled finally, looking away.

Charlie could feel Minato's outrage pounding in the back of her head. She sighed. "You _do_ need to attend to graduate, ya'know..."

Naruto shrugged petulantly. It struck her how... _childlike_ he was.

"Naru-chan, how old are you?"

"Ten..."

Charlie grinned widely. "Same," she said, though she didn't really know herself. "But anyway, you really shouldn't skip school. The others will get ahead of you!"

Naruto shrugged again. "As long as I don't have to hear Kuboyashi-sensei talk again." '_That must've been his teacher before Iruka_.'

Charlie pouted, then checked herself into her normal serious expression. It seemed even her brain wanted to act like a child. "Once I get my situation figured out, I'm definitely dragging you to class by your ears," she threatened, offsetting it with a small smile.

Naruto made a noise similar to a squeak before dashing forward.

Charlie couldn't help the small smile curling her lips. Perhaps she began to realize _why _exactly her day had ended up like this, but if she did, she didn't voice her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The Sandaime Hokage peered down at her with sharp eyes that didn't fit his otherwise friendly face.

Charlie felt sweat pool at her nape. She was definitely under scrutiny, and it didn't help that _stupid Naruto_ barged into his office screaming about "this weird girl he found naked in the forest", either. Said idiot was merely standing aside with a smug grin, probably figuring all the heat was off him for missing school.

Not so.

Sarutobi suddenly spun to glare at the young blond tightly. "And why were you out of class?"

Sheepishly, Naruto started to scratch his cheek. "Well, actually-"

"He said he was skipping 'cause he was tired of hearing Kuboyashi-sensei talk," Charlie piped up, grinning like a Cheshire cat as the boy floundered.

"_Is that so_," the Sandaime intoned, further narrowing his eyes if it were even possible.

When the boy's countenance turned properly fearful, the Hokage relented, straightening up to give both of them an even expression. Unbiddenly, Charlie found her spine straightening too; something about him rang an air of authority, even if he _was_ pretty funny to watch on TV. She definitely felt it now, though.

"Naruto-kun, go back to class, and come here when your day is _actually _done. There is more I must discuss with your new friend," he said. The blond needed no further prompting- had he shunshined out of the office, he wouldn't have been any faster.

With the old man's critical gaze now on her, Charlie felt the embarrassment of her situation come back again. She had no reason to fear the man- she knew he was a good person, after all- but being found _naked in a forest_ was plain humiliating. It was embarrassing with Naruto, and downright dreadful now that the _Hokage_ knew.

'**Charlie-chan. He's not going to want to let you close to Naruto if he thinks you've got bad intentions, you have to make your will known to him,**' Minato's voice filtered urgently through her mind.

'_Should I tell him the truth?_'

'**That's up to you. But Sarutobi-san is a good man, he will not banish you for telling the truth.'**

Charlie felt his presence recede to the back of her mind, and knew he was content to sit back at watch the show. Easy for him, she thought sourly.

"Hi," she said to break the ice, because he was still awkwardly staring at her.

"Hello, Charlie-chan," the Hokage said with a cheerful smile. She noticed that he was going back to his desk to sit, and found it reassuring- he probably didn't want to loom over her while she told her tale. "You look concerned," he added offhandedly.

Charlie grimaced, choosing to drop the childish demeanor she'd held with Naruto. Her eyebrows pulled together sternly, eyes sharpening and jaw setting. It was a look unbefitting of a girl her size. Hell, it didn't fit her when she _was _her own age. It was what her few friends had called her 'RBF'- resting bitch face. "Because I am. You're going to think I'm crazy."

Noting the abrupt change, the Hokage shifted in his seat. "Why's that, Charlie-chan?"

Charlie scratched nervously at the back of her neck. "I'm sorry, I should've been straightforward in the beginning but I figure it is in Naruto's best interest to keep up the facade. I'm... actually 17," She grumbled.

The Hokage raised his eyebrows. "Is that all?" he asked, doubtful. Something about the way he held her gaze told her he would see right through her should she try to lie.

"I'm also not from this world," she added, doing her best to keep her voice steady.

His eyes nearly bulged before he frowned. "You what."

"I'm serious," Charlie said. "I woke up in front of Konoha, where Naruto found me. And I'm-" she scowled, "I guess I'm a kid now."

The Hokage got to his feet again to pace. "And why do you think you're in a different world?"

"Because where I'm from, all of this is a book."

And with that, she relayed the same story she had to Minato.

A few hours and a whole lot of questions later, the Hokage was leaning back in his chair, fingers steepled and brow furrowed thoughtfully. Charlie stood aside and let him think. She knew that he was a strategist, and he had a lot of years to perfect that. She wasn't sure there was a good way to respond to someone from another world, but if there was, he would find it.

She stood quietly by the windows, watching the sun dip lower on the horizon. Konoha was a sprawling village, but it looked quieter now with the pinks and purples of the sky hanging over it. Homier. That peace wouldn't last, she knew, but after spending the majority of her life in a big city, it was something to appreciate.

No matter how fleeting.

Maybe it was that she was coming to terms with her situation. Or maybe it was the village looking so much more _real_ to her now. Or perhaps it was the knowledge that Naruto would be returning soon, with his too-bright eyes and his expectations, that caused her eyes to water. Perhaps all three.

Whatever the reason, her chin crumpled, lower lip jutting out just a bit as hot tears blurred her vision. '_What the hell?' _she thought. It had been _years _since she'd last cried- though then again, it had been years since she'd had something to cry about. Still, she liked to think herself a strong person. Certainly not one to tremble in the face of peace.

'**Why are you sad? I can feel you from all the way in here**,' Minato said, smooth voice reverberating in her head with surprising gentleness.

'_Maybe I'm scared. I'm not good at emotions_,' she replied eventually, shaking her head. '_Konoha is beautiful and in just a few years it'll be- be-_'

'**But you're here now, right? Doesn't that count for something?**' Minato sounded more sturdy then she felt at the moment, and so she hung onto his words like he was the cliff and she was the one who'd toppled off him. '**You and I both know you're not here as a penance. You're here to help. How will you do that if you wilt now?**'

He was right. She knew he was right. It still didn't help her existential question of 'why me?' though.

'_Of all the people in all the universes, what could I contribute? How could I?_'

'**There's a reason you're here. Don't you feel it? Don't you feel it wasn't an accident at all?**'

Charlie pressed her lips together. She didn't know what to feel right now. But, she noted as she rubbed her eyes free of the tears, she would be hard pressed to let the Hokage see her cry.

'_I can only do as much as I can_,' she told him.

'**That's all I expect.**'

And so she pasted a smile on her lips and walked round to the Hokage's desk to ask him his thoughts. Maybe she didn't feel that smile now, but maybe she would later.

Naruto arrived about the same way a tornado would. You see them coming from miles away, yet all you can do is hold your head in your hands because there's nothing you can do to stop the chaos that was about to ensue.

Case in point, he nearly bowled Charlie over on his way to the Hokage to plead his case.

She swished once, twice, and was barely able to maintain her balance. She felt rather than saw Sarutobi's amusement.

"OLD MAN I SWEAR I WASN'T-"

The Hokage held up a hand, grimacing at the sudden noise in the otherwise peaceful room. "_Naruto-kun _it's fine. Charlie-chan and I were just discussing her living arrangements."

The blond paused in his tracks. "Oh! You're letting her live here, jii-san?" His eyes landed on her, and she gave him the most convincing grin she could.

"She's interested in staying, yes. We _do_ have the problem of her only being ten, howeve-"

"But I'm on my own and I'm ten!" Naruto interrupted. The Sandaime sweatdropped. "She can come live with me!"

Charlie's eyes widened comically, and suddenly all she could think of was _trash piled everywhere dried ramen noodles on the floor and his TOILET-_

"You only have one room, Naruto-kun, that wouldn't work," the Hokage said, thank God. "But perhaps we can put her near you... would that be appealing to you, Charlie-chan?"

The girl nodded wordlessly. As long as she didn't have to room with Naruto, she'd be okay living in a cupboard under the stairs. "I'll do my best to pay you back as soon as I can, Hokage-sama," she said, and glared at the man when he opened his mouth to disagree.

"SO DOES THAT MEAN CHARLIE GETS TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH ME?!" Naruto cheered preemptively.

Again, Sarutobi's expression turned sheepish. "We haven't discussed whether Charlie-chan would want to be a ninja yet," he said gently.

Suddenly, the heat was on the girl again.

She flushed in embarrassment. "U-um, well, I assume that'd be most- appropriate," she managed haltingly, eyes flashing with the meaning behind it. She would do what it took to keep an eye on Naruto and everyone else he held dear.

Hell, she didn't even know if her body had _chakra_ yet. But if Rock Lee could do it, so could she. And she couldn't use her brain to fight her enemies.

"SWEET! I MADE A FRIEND _AND _SHE'S GOING TO CLASS WITH ME!" And Charlie couldn't help the small smile on her lips when he said that.

The Hokage tried (in vain) to tamp the boy's enthusiasm, but eventually gave up and turned to the girl. "I'll have you stay at the hospital for tonight to be looked over. We don't know what has happened to you before you woke up, and your apartment won't be ready by tonight anyway. Okay?"

Charlie nodded, and with that, she was escorted to the hospital while Naruto was sent home with the equivalent of a slap on the wrist for playing hooky.

* * *

Left alone in his office, Sarutobi found himself watching the two children as they parted ways on the ground below him.

His eyes narrowed slightly in thought. That girl... if what she'd said was true, she would be in grave danger. She would be hailed as a seer, and then burned as a witch when things didn't go their way. He would need to keep a close eye on her, and everyone surrounding her, if he wanted to maintain the peace Konoha had fought so hard for.

There was something else, something that put him on edge. When she'd come in, when she'd looked up at him with her childishly round face... he had been surprised. He had been surprised that she was who she was. She... _felt _off. Her chakra felt off. Something wasn't right with the girl.

He wanted to protect her, wanted to keep that little secret of their future to himself, and yet... he was unsure. Something about her didn't make sense.

Well, regardless. He would keep her a secret for as long as he saw fit, and whatever happened, happened. So, with a deep sigh, he took out a scroll, and began to write.

* * *

The ANBU escorting her to the hospital gave her a tap on the shoulder.

Charlie, who had been staring after Naruto like an idiot, jolted at the surprise. Her friend, who had made her promise to see him tomorrow, was already yards away.

She found herself wanting to follow _him _rather than go with the ANBU, but it couldn't be helped.

"Sorry, ANBU-san," she mumbled, turning on her heel to stride further without another word.

The Konoha Hospital was disturbingly large in comparison to the amount of people in the village. Perhaps she was just seeing things from a new perspective, but as she craned her head to look it over fully, she couldn't help but be a bit intimidated. She hoped that her visiting here didn't become commonplace.

"Such a dangerous profession you people have," she noted to the silent ninja by her side. Because the only reason Konoha would have a hospital that big was because it needed to.

The man next to her (and she figured it _was_ a man, from his bulky frame) said nothing, not that she'd expected him to.

The medic-nin who greeted them at the front desk seemed a little ill at ease as her plain brown eyes glanced over Charlie's company. Maybe Charlie should've been, too- or at least acted like it- but to be honest she was much too exhausted to think of such things.

"Er, hello. How can I help you today?" the woman asked, fixing a wobbly smile on her face. She had that warm, well-meaning sort of face, and Charlie couldn't help smiling a little back.

Before the girl could open her mouth to reply, however, the otherwise silent ANBU beside her spoke up. "She is to be given a physical and bed for the night, by order of the Hokage," he said, in a voice that was both stern and surprisingly young.

The medic nodded nervously and paged someone down to meet them.

Turning to the girl, the ANBU knelt to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're expected back at the Hokage's office at nine tomorrow morning. I will be back to collect you then."

Charlie nodded wordlessly, and the next she knew, he'd disappeared.

A half hour later, she was in an examination room. A medic (that was not as nice as the other one) was asking increasingly probing questions, and she had begun to get irritated.

"I'm ten," she said, with the correct amount of ice, "I haven't had my period yet."

The medic sent her a terse look. "Well, we don't have a file on you. I have to build this from scratch, so bear with me." He was an older man, past his prime with hooded, irritated eyes and a slight tremor in his hand. The pad of documents he wrote on had to be at least twenty pages thick, and they were only halfway through.

Charlie twitched at the order. "What are you going to ask me next, my sexual history?" she sassed.

The man gave her a searching look before scribbling something down with his pen. It looked suspiciously like 'none'. She twitched again.

"-And I don't have any STIs either."

Another scribble.

"I'm _ten_," she emphasized.

"It doesn't matter. I still need to know." But the man was sighing now, pinching the bridge of his nose repeatedly.

And so it went.

By the time her new file was complete, the moon was high in the sky and Charlie could feel herself swaying in exhaustion. Then again, maybe it was from having her blood drawn and getting her vaccines (5 of them).

"Alright," the medic grumbled, clicking his pen and standing up with a groan. "You're right as rain. I'll take you to a bed."

Charlie offered no smart comments as she followed him down two flights of stairs and down a hallway.

The room he led her to was communal, three beds along each wall, but empty and dark. Even the shades were drawn. "You may stay here," he said.

It was as good a place as any, so Charlie nodded and, as annoying as he had been, bade him goodnight. She dropped onto the first bed she saw and didn't bother shucking any of her borrowed clothing, instead simply passing out.

She'd had a long day, after all.

ALC. ALC. ALC.

The next morning, her eyes snapped open at precisely 7 AM.

Disoriented, she sat up, holding a hand to her head as she looked around. '_Where-_'

'**I was wondering when you'd wake up!**' someone chirped in her head, and the girl gasped, jumping half off the bed.

Her present situation flooded back into her brain in that moment, and she groaned, falling back onto her pillow with her eyes squeezed shut. '_Shit. For a second I still thought I was..._'

'**I'm sorry, Charlie,**' Minato mumbled, sounding a bit contrite.

'_It's fine. Just- give me a second._'

Perhaps she'd had the latent hope that she was still in some kind of dream. _That _was crushed quickly enough.

Sighing, the girl rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was surprisingly well rested, though she was sure she'd been sent to bed at around 2 the night before. Maybe that was the childlike tenacity of her new body?

'_Oh, don't you worry,_' she said to the little hands she now possessed, '_I'll break you in yet._' Her new body was just as unblemished and fragile as her last. She'd need to toughen it up by the time she joined the Konoha ranks.

Charlie hummed thoughtfully. Last night, she'd told the Hokage she'd become a ninja. It wasn't a lie, and she'd gladly do it to keep an eye on Naruto, but...

'_I was the weakest person on Earth in my last life. How will I fit in now?_' It was a relevant concern. She'd been able to garner respect with her brain back then, but physical prowess was important now- no, it was vital. Especially for the goals her ever-whirring brain was setting for itself.

Learning things about being a ninja through a book was the easy part. Training her body less so.

'**I wouldn't worry too much, Charlie,**' Minato said, '**and besides, if you can't figure something out or need a training regimen, you've a cheat sheet right in your head**.'

'_Would you really help me?_' Charlie thought, with some degree of hope. '_I don't want you to feel used or anything..._'

Minato's warm laughter filled her ears, and she flushed in embarrassment. '**I want to help you just as much as you want to help yourself. But...**' he trailed off. '**Nevermind that for now. That operative is approaching, now.**'

Charlie frowned, glancing around. She didn't _see _anyone... '_Can you sense him somehow?_'

'**Yes****. You can't?**'

Charlie shook her head.

'**Well, if you didn't have the ability to sense chakra then I wouldn't either. So perhaps it's just latent in you. But, anyway... he's watching through the window.**'

The girl decided to push chakra sensing to the back of her mind to ruminate later. Right now, the clock on the wall said 7:15- but the ANBU had said he'd return at 9. Why was he there early?

Charlie turned around to stare out the window. She didn't see anything, but that didn't mean nothing was there.

Frowning and impatient, she said, "You can come out now."

A moment later, the window opened, and the ANBU smoothly entered the room. He looked the same as he had yesterday, haystack brown hair and a mask that could've been a mole? Or perhaps an otter?

Either way, he wasn't saying anything and it was grating on her nerves. He just stood there, postured like he _wasn't_ just trying to creep on her.

Her brow ticked. "Were you trying to watch me sleep?" she inquired callously.

The man made a motion similar to a shrug with more apathy. "I was told to arrive here at 7:15."

The redhead narrowed her eyes icily and strode forward. "You didn't finish your statement. You were told to arrive here at 7:15 _because _you and yours wanted to spy on me. Why?"

"I do not question my orders. If you're awake..." The ANBU knelt there, pulling a scroll out of his thigh holster and unrolling it.

She watched with trepidation as he unsealed...

"Clothes," she noted in surprise. Standard black pants, mesh top, black sleeveless shirt, and black sandals. How dull. Well, she couldn't wear Naruto's clothes forever.

She wordlessly took them and slipped over to the attached bathroom, sassily throwing a, "I won't peep _here _if I were you," over her shoulder as she went.

The hospital shower had a weak stream and smelled like antiseptic, but the water was warm and the soap they had individually packaged on the counter smelled like lilacs.

Charlie enjoyed the shower for an appropriate amount of time, but her mind was on more serious subjects. She refrained from thinking about the _biggest _elephant in the room- how to get back home, if it was even possible- and instead, thought about the ANBU right outside the door.

'_He doesn't strike me as the perverted type_,' she thought dryly. He didn't strike her as lying, either. Danzō had ordered him there, which meant she was on his radar already. Hell, he'd probably had someone watching her overnight too, and Minato hadn't been focusing enough to notice.

While it wasn't surprising Danzō would be _interested _in a random kid appearing in the village, it was a cause for concern. She didn't want to appear on any kind of radar, especially his.

Especially because if she did end up staying here, she damn well would be undoing the bullshit he'd put in place, at least to the best of her abilities.

But he didn't need to know that yet.

Resigning herself to (pretend to) take the ANBU at his word, she turned the water off, letting herself drip off as she rolled her shoulders. It would be a trying day, of that she was sure. But as long as she didn't do anything too suspicious, it would be an obstacle easily tackled.

As she stepped out, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. It had been the first time she'd glanced at herself fully since waking here- the other bathroom times had been strictly business- so she decided to take a moment. She did look remarkably similar to herself as a child- same uncooperative red curls, same freckles, same light brown eyes and petulant expression. Her cheeks were a bit puffier than she remembered though, to her distaste.

Well, all in all, she supposed she didn't look bad. For a supposed anime character. If she was on the outside looking in, perhaps she would've found herself charming. The girl in the mirror shrugged, turning away dismissively. As long as people took her seriously, she really didn't care what she looked like.

She dressed in her new clothes, which fit all too well (save for the size-too-big shoes), and tied her hair in a knot at the top of her head (the only hairstyle she could do without a hair tie). And then it was time to go.

The ANBU stood in the same spot she'd left him in. He was breathing evenly, and his head didn't move to acknowledge her presence. It was a bit unnerving.

"You should take me to breakfast," she said, striding up to him with all the confidence in the world.

His head tilted down to gaze silently at her.

"I'm hungry," she added, and her stomach growled to back her up. "I haven't eaten since arriving at the village."

The ANBU disappeared, and she scowled. Dickhead.

She had just settled on the bed again to await his return when wind ruffled behind her. She turned, surprised, to see the ANBU there with a plastic bag in hand.

Her eyebrows raised. "Breakfast?" she guessed. He nodded.

She took the bag from him, probably overly eager. Inside was a premade breakfast wrap and a pear. Not enough for two, she noted. "Thanks," she told him, unwrapping the sandwich and jamming it into her mouth.

It quelled the hunger that had been building in her tummy enough that she felt comfortable holding the pear in his general direction. "Here."

He made no move to grab it, and her eyebrow ticked. "Just take it already, I'm full," she grouched.

The ANBU took it from her, which pleased her, yet only pocketed it, which did not. The redhead pouted and swung her legs below her; she had hoped to catch a glimpse of his face that way...

Glancing up at the clock, Charlie blew out a breath and let it take her frustrations with it. "It's as good a time as any to start heading over," she mumbled, lurching to her feet and shoving her hands in her pockets.

"There is still an hour until your meeting with the Hokage, Charlie-san," the ANBU voices dutifully.

"Then you can take me on the scenic route. I've only ever seen a sliver of this village so far," Charlie shrugged.

Looking doubtful even with the mask on, the ninja nonetheless followed her out the room and down to the main desk. There was a different medic nin behind the counter, and he, too, seemed a bit nervous in the ANBU's presence. "Checking out," the redhead said. "Should be under Charlie."

The man blinked. "Last name, miss?"

"Just Charlie." And out she went.

It was a crisp sort of morning. The wind that blew through the streets bit at her cheeks, and she pulled her jacket closer around her. Still, she had to admit the village was... pretty, in the morning. The sky was still tinged with red and pink, and the dew that had accumulated overnight made everything smell fresher somehow.

Charlie took a big lungful of it. You didn't get scents like this in cities like Philadelphia- where she'd been before. Philadelphia smelled like taco trucks and mold, an attractive mix.

Konoha was more homely overall. The buildings were smaller and more prosaic, no cars in the streets- hell, no streets at all. And quiet, too. So peacefully quiet. If Charlie ended up staying here, at least she wouldn't be upset at her new digs- they were rather comfortable.

The ANBU wordlessly accompanied her as she set off down the street alone. She had no doubt the ninja would be able to direct her back to where she needed to be if she got lost, and had little fear either- perhaps it was bold of her, but she assumed the ANBU would not let danger come to her. At least not yet.

And so she walked quietly down the streets, turning down random alleyways and past random unmarked buildings. Her mind map of the place was remembering every bush, trash can, and flower, of course, but she herself was having a grand time.

"It's really pretty here," Charlie noted with a small smile. Her nose caught the scent of the takoyaki vendor just opening shop for the day, and she paused, hungrily breathing it in.

The ANBU paused as well. "Was it not pretty where you came from?" he inquired.

Charlie quirked an eyebrow, sending him a knowing smile. "Who knows?"

Around a half hour later, she had cut through perhaps a quarter of the village. The time was drawing nearer to her next meeting, and so she reluctantly allowed the ninja to lead her closer to the Hokage Tower. More people milled about now, and she could feel their eyes on her as she strolled past, the strange girl with her ANBU friend. She just met their gazes with a small, hopefully reassuring, smile. She didn't want them to hate her, at least not yet.

The Hokage Tower was a challenge. It was a winding staircase that ended up winding her by the time they reached the right floor. The ANBU was silent beside her, though she'd expected it- extra training and all.

The ANBU knocked twice on the door to the Sandaime's office. "Come in," the man called on the other side, remarkably cheerful for the early hour.

He was dressed the same as he'd always been, though his Hokage hat was in his hands as he looked down over the village. He turned when they entered, and with a single nod towards her companion, they were alone. Or at least he'd had the decency to conceil himself.

"Good morning," Charlie said politely, smiling. She truly did like Sarutobi. He'd always been a grandfather figure for Naruto in the anime, and though he perhaps hadn't been able to shield the kid completely from the villagers' unwarranted hatred, he'd done a lot more for him than anyone else had. She had to give him props for that, at least.

"Good morning, Charlie-chan. Did you sleep well?"

The redhead shrugged. "As well as I could have, given that _interesting _third degree I got from the medic who treated me." Well, perhaps she couldn't let him off that easy. A secret little smirk curled the corners of her lips.

Sarutobi winced. "Ah, unfortunately it can't be helped," he said with sincerity, "but I promise from here on out it will be smooth sailing."

Charlie raised her eyebrows. "One can hope," she mumbled in response. Nothing was ever smooth sailing in Naruto. Speaking of... "Has Naru-"

"Yes," the Hokage interrupted, and Charlie chuckled. "He is an impatient boy."

"I suppose there are worse things to be," the girl replied goodnaturedly. It warmed her slightly that the kid had taken an interest in her so quickly. Well, not only that, but it would make looking after him much easier if he liked her. She doubted Minato would want her to stray too far from him.

"You're quite right," Sarutobi said, smiling at her. "I've opened that apartment beside his, by the way. You're all ready to move in, though you will still have some shopping to do for food and clothes."

Charlie sweatdropped. "Ah, well, I don't really-"

"I'll have you on an allowance, just as I have Naruto-kun on. Don't worry," he added, sensing her hesitation.

"I'll pay you back as soon as I can," she said resolutely. She had always been rather independent, and being indebted to someone, even if it was the Hokage, left a bitter taste in her mouth. In fact, getting help from others at all didn't really sit well with her. Charlie had almost always been able to solve her own problems.

Sarutobi frowned a little at her. It almost looked like he could see right through her. He sat down at his chair, setting his hat to the side and steepling his fingers. "There's no rush. You are in a precarious position right now."

The redhead managed a wry smile. "They don't call you 'the professor' for nothing, huh?"

"It's my job to know things," he replied cheerfully. "And anyway, where would we be without our friends?" Charlie chuckled. It seemed to her like he was the type of person who could utter a few words that would leave everyone else thinking on them the rest of the day.

"Anyway, about the Academy," Charlie spoke up, deciding to not so subtly change the subject. "Have you spoken to them yet?"

"Of course. They are anticipating your arrival tomorrow. Which brings me to our next order of business," the Hokage hummed, and searched through one of his desk drawers a moment. He pulled out a sealed scroll and beckoned her closer.

He lowered his voice, though she was sure the entire room was soundproofed anyway. "This is your new identity. It is the one I gave to Danzou when he realized there had been a strange girl who entered the village yesterday, and it is the one I will now show to you." Charlie nodded, face turning stony. Danzou had obviously not believed the Hokage if he was snooping around her this morning, so she would have to make this new identity her own, and quickly.

The old man unsealed the scroll with deft fingers and rolled it out. There was a single picture of her, taken unawares when she was at the hospital, and all of her defining characteristics. He had written her a new background story, one of a harrowing escape from a dangerous family outside Fire country. Her new name was Charlie Shimizu. "Listen closely, Charlie-chan," Sarutobi said. "You gave me all of this information when you arrived here. You come from a dangerous family, though you were taken in as a foster. You have no living blood relatives, and you do not know which village or family you're truly from. I should stress that the main goal here is to remain under the radar. Your red hair will be of great interest to many, so please be sure to deny any rumors you hear, alright?"

The girl gave a jerky bob of the head. "And the name Shimizu? Where does it come from?"

"I told him I gave you that name. You don't remember having one. To Danzou, you should come across as just another wayward orphan with a sorrowful past. And," he gave her a critical look, "anything that makes you stand out is dangerous and needs to be tamped down."

I.e., don't come across as the smart aleck teenager she really was. Got it. Though it concerned her just a bit- she knew very well what Danzou did with wayward orphans.

"And how will I explain my affinity for Naruto? I won't push him aside like many others, surely he will notice."

"He will probably just consider it ignorance. To his knowledge, you're not aware of Naruto-kun's past, and it should stay that way. All Naruto-kun is to you, is your neighbor and friend."

"Understood." Charlie straightened and gave a cheeky salute. "Should I be expecting a tag along when I go clothes shopping today?"

Sarutobi chuckled as he handed her an envelope with her new house key and a wad of money. "Do you need one?"

"Not at all." She remembered where at least a few clothing stores were, after all. "Though I will need help finding Naruto's apartment building."

"Come back here when you're done. I've already told him to meet me here when he's out of class."

Charlie left the Hokage tower with a smile and a spring in her step. Hell, she felt as light as she looked. With tons of money in her pocket and a new direction to go in, however, who wouldn't?

It was about time for her to start on her new mission: become Charlie Shimizu, boredom extraordinaire!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for your kind reviews! Responses will be at the end of the chapter. I will apologize in advance for the crazy update 'schedule' that this fic will be on; I am a college student, and my productivity for this story will depend entirely on the changing tides of my classes. That is coupled with the fact that my chapter updates will always be rather beefy, which I hope will redeem me slightly lol. Finally, do let me know any pairing suggestions you may have, and I'll keep a running tally! So far, we have 1 vote for Shikamaru!**

**That said, enjoy this update!**

**Chapter 3**

Charlie was... struggling.

Maybe not in the normal sense of the word, but struggling nonetheless.

She held two pieces of fabric that were probably tunics, and was grimacing quite noticeably. She had run out of steam about two stores in, and now, well, now her situation was dawning bleakly upon her.

'_I... have no clue about fashion.' _Especially shinobi fashion. In her time before, she'd always had her mom pick her clothes up. It had been at the woman's discretion, as well; Charlie never cared for fashion or clothes or appearances. She'd had more important things to worry about- like the life and times of Edgar Allen Poe, or the life cycle of hornworms.

But now, standing here with two equally black tops, she realized she perhaps should've paid more attention. "I can't just wear black," she voiced aloud, glancing into the other shopping bags around her arm. Indeed, she had flown through the past two stores with fervor, but in her haste had just picked whatever would match. Unfortunately, everything was black. Not because she particularly _liked _the color- in fact, she thought it quite boring- but well, one tenet of fashion she'd bothered to remember was that black went with everything.

Be that as it may... she looked like a ninja who had a MySpace and wore Hot Topic on the reg.

"Doing okay?" pipped up a bright voice from over her shoulder. Charlie jumped a bit at the proximity and turned. It was a blonde girl, about ten years her senior, with a cheerful smile and a name tag reading 'Haruna'.

Charlie felt an embarrassed blush cross her face. "Not really. Do you know what looks good together?" '_Obviously she knows, she works here,_' her brain supplied. Thanks, brain.

Haruna nodded her head understandingly. "It's a bit overwhelming. You seem pretty warm toned though, so let's stick with some autumn-y colors. We have a lot of-"

I will spare you the details of the next harrowing twenty minutes as Charlie learned what she should've known, or figured out, a long time ago.

Suffice it to say, she left the shop with brand new red ninja pants, her black sandals, a mesh top over a chest binder, and an open, dark red haori that reached her knees. There were a few more outfits similar to it in her shopping bag.

'_I look so cool now,_' she thought happily as she strolled down the street. Now that her crisis had been averted, she felt at ease enough to shove her hands in her pockets. She smiled slightly at the passerby, feeling, for the first time, like she at least slightly fit in. The fashion in Konoha was quite different from the world she'd came from, but it wasn't bad, and honestly, pretty comfortable too.

"**Charlie-chan,**" Minato suddenly intoned, and she paused not so subtly at the scare.

'_Shit, Minato, don't do that,' _she chastised, and resumed walking.

"**Sorry, I was just checking in. Are you having fun?**"

Charlie made a face. '_'Fun' is stretching it. But I do like spending money, so..._'

He laughed at her. "**Well, if you're interested, there should still be a weapons shop a few streets over. If he plans to have you start the Academy tomorrow, you'll at least need your own shuriken."**

Oh. _Oh._ How could she have forgotten the most fun part of the day? '_Hey, you're pretty smart, Minato,' _she thought as she skipped through the alley to her right. '_Are you always watching, or do you just _know_ what I'm doing?_'

"**Yes,**" he replied ambiguously. "**Turn left here.**"

She was about to insist he answer her, when the sign for the shop came in sight. She felt her toes curl in her sandals in her excitement- what weapon should she get? A sword? Some senbon? _Ooh,_ a _spear_-

**"Let's... stick with the basics, for now**," her new mentor said.

'_Fun-sucker,' _she accused as she marched in purposefully. The shop smelled like metal, unsurprisingly, and she suddenly felt like a fish out of water. The shop owner turned to stare at her, along with a bunch of shinobi customers. She sweat nervously. '_They're totally judging me,' _she thought, and absurdly wished she could go back to five minutes ago when she'd felt more at ease.

"**You have as much right to be there as they do. Just move along and grab what you need,**" Minato said. Easy for him to say; he wasn't getting gawked at.

Trying to conceal her hesitation, she let her eyes flit over the wares. There were different sections to the store, she realized; most of the swords (or derivatives thereof) were mounted on the wall to her left. The wall to her right, behind the cashier, had miscellaneous items (was that a flail?). There were independent racks that formed neat aisles, and basins filled with any kind of gear one would need. The shuriken were there, she saw, stacked in plastic boxes to keep them sharp and wrapped tight with a price tag stamped on top. She picked up a few boxes of roughly 5, figuring that would be enough for the moment. The kunai weren't too far away either, also packaged neatly.

'_What else? I feel like I should be getting more than this...'_ she thought.

"**There's plated gloves on the rack behind you. Those are useful to shield against enemy blades. And you need a pouch to put those in, as well as some gauze to secure them to you,**" Minato piped up helpfully.

Charlie did as he said and turned to try on the gloves, all the while fighting to ignore the stares she was _still_ receiving. '_Don't they have anything better to do? I'm sure the Academy kids come in here all the time!_'

"**They come with their parents. It's not usual to see an unaccompanied minor in this store. Plus, they've never seen you before,** **either."**

The redhead couldn't resist making a face at one of the shinobi she passed by, inwardly grinning maliciously at his affronted face. The pouches were in a bin at the back of the store, and she picked one at random, black of course to match. Gauze was right beside it. '_Right, then. That ought to do it,' _she thought, and made her way to the front counter. The cashier gave her a smile, though she could sense his questioning eyes.

The transaction took only a few moments, but she left feeling a bit more on edge than she had before. '_Konoha must be a closer knit community than I'd thought. You'd think in a village this big, an unfamiliar face wouldn't be so strange...'_

Minato had no response to that. It was true enough- while it was smaller than Philadelphia, she was sure they came across those whom they didn't know. Maybe she just smelled like an outsider. Whatever.

The joys of grocery shopping I will also spare you, though I will say that she bought more unhealthy food than she cared to admit. She used her youth as the excuse, however, since the pounds weren't likely to stay on her long. '_Minato, will you help me get shredded?_' she asked, arms heavy with groceries as she made her way slowly to the Hokage tower. The sun was beginning to set now, and she had quite literally shopped until she dropped. Naruto was probably bouncing off the walls at this very moment waiting for her.

"**Excuse me?**" Oh, right. He didn't keep up with the slang.

'_I want a six pack,' _she clarified. '_And bulging muscles. Probably a neck thicker than my own head.' _Okay, it was a bit of an exaggeration. But she did want to be able to make an impact should she need to, in more ways than one.

"**... I'm not sure about that last part, Charlie-chan. But I can help you establish a routine. It will have to start with you diet, though.**" She could feel his disapproval of her latest purchases, and grinned.

'_You should see Naruto's cabinet, it's even worse._' She shuddered at the thought. Oh, poor boy. He had not a single clue (or care?).

It was nearing seven in the evening when she finally spilled into the Hokage's office (only after knocking, like the polite girl she was). Naruto was sitting in the corner, but he stood as she came in, yelling about how late it was. She kind of felt mothered in that moment, which was really weird.

Sarutobi watched with amusement as she finally dropped all of her items on the floor and followed them down. "A successful trip?" he asked aloud.

"You could say that," she groaned, rolling her sore shoulders. "Naru-chan, how was school?"

"Fine," the blond said dismissively, "but when are _you_ gonna come? Huh? I was bored all day!"

Charlie frowned at him. "If you paid attention and focused on learning everything they have to teach you, you wouldn't be bored," she chided gently. "That's what I'll be doing." No way was she getting in trouble _with _him. She had been a good student all her life, and she wasn't about to stop now. If anything, she would whip Naruto himself into shape.

If that was even possible.

Naruto groaned at the implications of what a _studious _friend would mean. "But I thought friends ditched class together!"

"Friends _go to class together_. And study. It's important information anyway, Naru-chan."

"Whatever, I'll make you go with me anyway. Hey, come on, it's dark anyway, I was waiting for you to get dinner." He grabbed her hand and half of her bags, and she barely got in a wave to their honorable leader before she was whisked out the door.

'_He might be ten, but he sure is strong,_' she thought, raising an eyebrow at his death grip on her wrist.

"Do you want to go to Ichiraku's? It's this ramen bar, it's really good!" Naruto exclaimed as he dragged her down the stairs. She could clearly see the nervous energy all around him, like any moment he would bust out in a dead sprint to work it off. She always knew he was a powerhouse, but it was quite different to experience it firsthand. His endless energy managed its way into his entire being, in the speed of his walking, talking, his animation.

No wonder he hated school so much, to sit there must be torture.

"Naru-chan, can we stop by the apartment first? I can't keep carrying these, my arms are cramping up," she whined good naturedly. Partially true, and also because she didn't want anyone to steal her shit while she was trying to enjoy a meal.

The blond bobbed his head and abruptly tugged her to the right.

It was another fifteen minute walk to Naruto's (and now hers) apartment complex, and then a few flights of stairs, before she finally stuck her key in the door of her new home. "Isn't it cool that we're neighbors now?" she asked him, shouldering her way inside. Naruto followed suit, almost tripping over the genkan in his haste.

"Yeah, does this mean you'll make me breakfast and stuff too?" he asked, grinning widely at her. Her heart melted a little at the cuteness of it.

"That's what girlfriends do." Charlie laughed at him, and he wilted a little before she nudged him. "I'll make you food once in a while, Naru-chan. Sure."

And he pipped right back up. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to his tenacity. She sighed, shaking her head as he meandered further into her new digs, glancing around curiously. "Hey, it looks exactly like mine!" he noted cheerfully. As she followed him, she couldn't disagree- they even had the same standard furniture. The front door entered right into the living room, which was semi-spacious and had a couch and coffee table. The kitchen was to the right of the door, small but adequate, and to the left, a short hallway with the bathroom to the right and the bedroom to the left.

"Hey, put my groceries away wouldja?" she asked, and unceremoniously slung her bags of new clothes over her shoulder. The redhead chuckled at the faint voice of dissent from behind her, and ignored it in favor of checking out her new room.

It, too, was standard, with just a bed, dresser, and a nightstand table. The closet was woefully small, but that wouldn't make much of a difference- as one could probably tell, Charlie wasn't a fashion freak. She thumped her clothes onto the bed and, since she had no hangers, began to fold them quickly to shove them in the drawers. She now had (including what she now wore): four pairs of ninja pants (two black, one red, one brown), a black tunic with red detail near the bottom, her red haori, two mesh tops (one ending above her belly button, the other full length), one pair of simple black stretch shorts, three chest binders (bras apparently weren't readily accessible here, not that she would complain), and ten pairs of underwear. Her gear- the plated fingerless black gloves she'd chosen, her thigh pouch, the gauze, and her new weapons- she laid gently on her nightstand. She'd also managed to procure some body wash and shampoo, which followed suit.

It was not an extensive wardrobe, admittedly. It had, in fact, hardly depleted the wad of cash the Hokage had given her. But it was a start, and she was happy.

With thoughtful precision, and a little help from Minato, she managed to secure the kunai holster tightly round her leg. In it, she could fit a few kunai, and one box of the shuriken she'd purchased. It was certainly enough to go off of. Now, all she needed was to learn how to use them.

Finally feeling comfortable, she made her way out of the room, following Naruto's loud protests of how slow she was being. "Sorry," she said as she came upon him rolling around despondently on the floor, "I was trying to wrap this right." She gestured.

"How come no one's shown you before?" the blond asked curiously, sitting up. It was another loaded question, whether he'd intended it to be or not. Naruto had to be curious about her background- he _had _been the one to find her, roaming naked in the forest no less. He was also probably wondering why the Hokage had done so much for her. It was only natural.

But as much as she wanted to, she could tell the child nothing. Telling him anything besides the backstory the Hokage had given her would spell disaster, and as much as she liked Naruto, she couldn't trust a ten-year-old to keep his mouth shut. He was still too naive.

So, Charlie managed a sheepish smile and, with a heavy heart, began to lie to him. "I don't come from good circumstances, Naru-chan. No, I wasn't taught much of anything." Someday, she would tell him, she promised herself. Someday.

His big blue eyes stared widely into hers, searchingly almost. For the first time, she couldn't really read his expression. "Oh. Well, uh, you did it right, anyway," he mumbled, looking away. Obviously he didn't want to press the issue, which she was more than thankful for.

Charlie gave him a small grin and, grabbing his hand, pulled him from his seat. "C'mon, I believe I was promised ramen?"

By the time they'd reached Ichiraku's, the sun had set on Konoha. She'd probably been too busy unpacking to notice, though now she grew a bit sad to have missed it. Naruto, however, was all laughs, recounting story after story of all of his escapades regarding Ichiraku's. And once they'd entered, he greeted Teuchi like an old friend.

"Hey, Naruto-kun! Brought a friend along, have you?" the man chuckled, though she felt his eyes bore through her. Obviously he was a bit suspicious of her, and it made her heart warm to think that he looked out for Naruto like that.

Naruto nodded apprehensively. "Yeah, she's my new friend Charlie-chan. She's starting at the Academy tomorrow." Thankfully, he didn't introduce her as 'the girl he found naked in the forest', though she presumed it was less to spare her embarrassment and more because he just hadn't thought to include it.

Charlie gave a serene smile to the man. "Naru-chan speaks very highly of you and your shop, so I figured why not give it a shot?"

Teuchi's shoulders loosened slightly. "Alright, kids. What'll it be?"

Naruto ordered beef, and Charlie pork. They sat, and chatted amicably with Teuchi as he prepared their meal. Naruto was quite the storyteller, animated and excitable, and he had both Teuchi and herself laughing from time to time. She found herself wondering how on Earth anyone could mistake him for anything beyond an energetic little kid, or how anyone could hate him at all. She snuck glances at him when he wasn't looking, too deep in his story of his prank on the TI department to notice. With his blue eyes sparkling and his big, wide smile, and his cheeks flushed and round, how could anyone think he was anything but adorable?

Unfortunately, it is not the depths of your heart you are judged on, but rather the rumors that circle you.

Case in point: Teuchi had finished preparing their ramen, and had dished it out with a goodnatured grin, by the time the two kids were joined by a few older shinobi. Two men, in standard gear with their headbands round their necks. They were having some lighthearted conversation about their previous mission as they ducked into the stand, but it puttered a bit as they entered. Their grins seemed to flicker, and then fade altogether, as their gazes came to rest on Naruto.

Oh, she knew what was coming alright. And Naruto seemed to, too. He leaned away from them, closer to her, bringing his bowl with him. His smile, too, had faded, and instead he had fixed his gaze steadily on his lap.

The two ninja sat on the farthest end of the counter, as if Naruto was contagious, and ordered their food from a stony-faced Teuchi in whispered tones.

Charlie gritted her teeth, but decided to let the matter rest, instead nonchalantly blowing the steam from her noodles. '_Who cares what a few ignorant people think? They'll realize their errors eventually, and that will be penance enough.'_

Perhaps Naruto didn't see it that way, because he was casting glances at her as if he was worried she would judge him too. She couldn't help patting his head for a split second, sending him a grin between bites. It seemed to encourage him enough to continue eating.

The rest of their meal went as planned, though she did see that Naruto hastened to be done. She paid for the both of them, ignoring Naruto's protests, and then dragged him out by the hand. The moon had risen as they had eaten, and a swift breeze had picked up somewhere along the way. It rustled the windchimes by the cafe across the road, and sent shivers up her back. It was definitely time to go home.

"I'm excited to start Academy tomorrow," she said, as they picked their way back to their apartments.

Naruto was unusually quiet, but he gave her a smile anyway.

"Will you walk with me?" she added. Charlie found that she didn't like quiet Naruto, not at all.

His bright eyes landed on her in poorly concealed surprise, before a wide grin split his cheeks. "Obviously, -ttebayo!"

At their respective doors, they parted with happy goodbyes, and promises to meet at eight tomorrow at the base of the steps. Charlie stepped into her new apartment, locking the door behind her, and plopped down to pry off her shoes. It had been a long day, but a fruitful one. She followed her memorized route to the bathroom, did her nightly duties, and fell into bed with bone-deep exhaustion.

And that was how Charlie's first full day as Konoha citizen Charlie Shimizu came to its close.

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ALC. ALC. ALC.

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The next day, Charlie woke even earlier than usual.

Of no fault of her own.

"**Wake up!**" Minato had said, rather loudly, at around 5 AM. And so she had, but not willingly, and certainly not without putting him through the ringer first.

A slew of red curls popped up from where they were tucked under her covers, and she glared icicles at nothing in particular. "Exactly who do you think you are?" she said groggily, though her voice promised death. Probably her breath did, too.

Minato was annoyingly chipper as he responded, "**Well, this is the beginning of your new training regimen! Starting today, you are now my pupil!**"

"I'll show you a pupil," she hissed, and banged her head into her pillow as if it would help. It was easy for him to be so casual in that little mindscape of his, he didn't even _need _sleep. Obviously he hadn't taken into consideration that she was still, unfortunately, _in mortal form_.

That was fine. She would give him a stern talking to. In about two hours. Charlie's head hit the pillow again, this time more gently, and she let her body relax. If she stayed still enough, she could fall back to sleep in roughly 47 seconds- she knew her body well.

"**Nope! Get up, get up, you're wasting precious daylight! Get dressed and presentable and then call on me!**" And his presence was gone again. Oh, she could kill him.

With leaden feet and a brain swimming with caustic thoughts towards a _particular blond_, she did as he asked, with jerky, irritated movements. Of course, logically, she knew he was just trying to help. But couldn't he have at least warned her first? Or just... let her sleep in the first day? What was so important that it had to be done at 5 AM?

As she found out, after growling his name in her head, meditation. Meditation was the most important thing, and no, he wasn't kidding. 5:15 AM saw her scooting her coffee table out of the way and sitting straight-backed on the rug, eyes closed, trying to 'align her chakra'. Whatever the hell that meant.

"Minato, I admire you greatly, I do, but-"

"**Stop right there! You've said enough. I thank you for your admiration, my student. Now, tree pose.**"

Oh. She could _kill _him.

Charlie did as he bade, yet again, though with a ruthless look on her face. '_Minato, what's the point? I can't even feel my 'aligning chakra'!_' She wobbled dangerously on one foot.

"**That's because you're not focusing enough. Stare at the floor in front of you to balance yourself, and steady your breathing. It'll come to you.**" He sounded annoyingly optimistic. She should've known he was one of those quinoa-kale-drink-8-cups-a-day types. And now that she had nowhere to run from him, she would probably become one, too.

Though, perhaps he wasn't entirely trying to waste her time. Hopefully. With that hope in mind, she set about clearing her head, batting away her irritation alongside it. It was incredibly difficult, she found. Her mind was always humming, like a well-oiled machine, and to get it to stop was virtually impossible. It wasn't in her blood to not _think_. Thinking was what she was best at, after all.

"**You can try humming. Just one tone, to focus your attention,**" Minato offered.

She did that too, and thankfully, concentrating on humming did seem to subtract the distractions of her mind. Her foot steadied on the ground, and she blew out a slow gust of air, letting her emotions go with it. Still, she wasn't really feeling anything besides stupid. '_Minato-'_

"**Focus,**" he demanded, and she sighed irritably, but did so.

Long minutes past. Charlie kept humming, resolutely thinking nothing at all. Minato was silent, though his presence hadn't left her mind. It was hard for her to explain what that felt like. Sharing a head with someone else, who could come and go virtually as they pleased. It was... a strange feeling, she supposed. His presence wasn't bad, per se, and it didn't feel oppressive or scary like one might think. He felt warm and familiar, like an old friend. It still wasn't something she had at all grown used to, and she doubted she ever would.

Eventually, she had all but fallen asleep standing there in that stupid tree pose, and she still hadn't felt anything resembling chakra.

It was a quarter 'til seven by the time Minato relinquished her of her duties. "I can't believe I couldn't feel anything," Charlie muttered to herself, a bit discouraged, as she pushed her coffee table back into place. Perhaps she just didn't have chakra? It wouldn't surprise her; after all, she _was_ from another world. What could be expected?

"**Maybe you have a point. But it also may just be that your body isn't able to recognize it yet. We'll just have to keep trying, ne?" **Charlie huffed. It wasn't often that she faced something she couldn't have right away.

How was she supposed to save the day if she didn't even have chakra? She definitely wasn't as badass as Lee, at least not yet.

Sighing, the girl migrated to the kitchen. Maybe making breakfast would keep her mind off of it. She pulled a carton of eggs from the fridge, along with a jug of orange juice- the breakfast necessities. It had been quite a while since she'd made her own food- her mother was a capable and willing cook, and Charlie had perhaps assumed she would always be there to cook for her.

Strange, how things turned out.

Still, the redhead could make eggs, which was probably more than the boy next door could. So she pulled out the nifty frying pan that had been left on the stovetop (perhaps from the last tenents?) from the cupboard and, hoping it was clean, cracked an egg on its surface. Scrambled eggs it was.

Charlie made enough for her and her new friend, and put an even amount into two styrofoam plates (she didn't want to spend money on the real thing yet). She didn't have pepper, but she did have salt, and she gave each a healthy (unhealthy?) dose. She had bought a loaf of bread, but without a toaster, she merely placed two plain pieces beside them. Finally, with two plates and the jug of juice in tow, she waddled to the door, throwing it open and taking two steps to knock on Naruto's door.

There was a crashing sound from beyond the door. "Coming!" the kid called, sounding all the world like he had been asleep a few seconds prior.

He answered the door in a plain tee shirt and boxer shorts, rubbing his eyes blearily. He gave her a grin, though less animated than usual. "Oh, hey, Charlie-chan!"

"Early bird catches the breakfast, you know, Naru-chan," Charlie said, smiling back as she lifted the two plates for his viewing pleasure. "I hope you have a toaster."

His eyes lit up.

As it turned out, he did, in fact, have a toaster. So they ate eggs on toast, and managed to finish the entire jug of juice. Charlie felt as though a watery bowling ball had settled in her stomach, but she was sated. Naruto looked as if she'd need to roll him to school, but he managed to heave himself to his feet and waddle to the kitchen for a second. He came back with a plastic container she assumed was his lunch.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked, patting her stomach and letting out a contented sigh. She'd needed that more than she'd realized- apparently meditation was hard work.

The blond nodded excitedly from where he stood in the doorway. "Yeah, let's go, Charlie-chan!"

Charlie grinned and followed him as he beelined for the door, only pausing to throw her plate and the jug of juice away. '_I'll never get past his boundless enthusiasm,_' she thought. He truly was a fireball of pent up energy and determination, in the body of a 4-nothing kid.

She could feel Minato's pride radiating out, and was glad for it. Though Naruto was still a little kid, still got into trouble and did things he wasn't supposed to, he was a sturdy individual with an infectious mood. Charlie could already see his ability to boost people up alongside him, like a wave that carried a ship to sea, until they were just as worked up as he. It was part of what made him great. Part of what made him genuine.

As they marched their way to school, Naruto chattered away excitedly, all about his class and his sensei. If he noticed the odd stare, he didn't mention it. The walk to school took about as long as she'd figured- about 15 minutes- so that by the time they were in the front courtyard, they were about ten minutes early. A few students milled about around the doors, talking quietly due to the early hour. All eyes were on the duo as they walked straight for the doors.

Well, she supposed they didn't get new kids in all that often. Plus, the fact that she was already hanging out with Naruto would make her a subject of interest. She would have to play it cool and keep the middle ground if she wanted to stay under the radar. Inside, however, she worried she wouldn't be able to reign it in.

If one of their classmates decided to do something stupid involving Naruto, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to hold herself back. True, they were children, but then again, how would they learn that he was a person if _he _was the one to fight back against them? She'd rather be the demon, in that case, than to have them consider Naruto one.

Rather than staring the kids in the eye and challenging them, Charlie found her eyes tracking the little tree swing as she passed it. It had always been a symbol of his loneliness, his ostracization. Her eyebrows furrowed without her meaning to, and she snapped her gaze forward resolutely. The kids' opinions didn't matter, at least not at the moment. What had been in his past would not be in his future, and it wasn't worth dwelling over. She was here to help him avoid that anyway, wasn't she?

So she looked one of the kids in the eye, an older one by the looks of it, and shot her a bold grin. Naruto was nothing to be afraid of.

Kuboyashi's classroom was at the end of a long hallway, and it was already bustling with voices and laughter. Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets, the picture of nonchalance, as they headed towards the open door, though the grin he pasted on seemed more for show than anything. "C'mon, Charlie-chan, I'll show you where my seat is," he said, and walked backwards over the threshold of the room. Charlie was about ready to follow after him when a hand clamped down on her shoulder (with a bit too much pressure, might she add). She halted a bit awkwardly, and turned around with raised eyebrows.

It was a taller man in the standard green flak jacket. His dark brown hair reached his nape, but was controlled by a blue cap that covered his head and proudly displayed his Konoha forehead protector. He had dark eyes set deep in his face, his eyebrows pushed together like he was brooding. There was no smile on his lips as he said, "Are you the new student?"

Charlie nodded silently. She didn't like this man- she could already tell he was too stern to be teaching a bunch of ten-year-olds, even if they were to become ninja in the future.

The feeling appeared to be mutual as he eyed her with distrust. She wondered absently what, exactly, he'd been told about her, because apparently he hadn't taken it well. "Stay back until I introduce you. Class is about to begin," he instructed, and with nary another word, brushed past her into the classroom. Naruto gave her an apologetic look as he disappeared from view to find his seat.

'_Ah, does there really have to be an introduction?_' Charlie whined mentally. She was never good at those- it wasn't that she had stage fright, exactly, but being put on the spot in front of a bunch of kids was a bit humiliating in her book.

"Good morning, class," Kuboyashi said as he found his place behind his podium. He adjusted the stack of papers in front of him casually as the class replied the same in unison. "Before we begin, we have a new student." He gave Charlie a single look, and she took it as her cue. Steeling herself, she walked right in, turning to face the class with a small, constrained smile. She really did hate introductions.

There were about twenty kids in Naruto's class, and all of them looked exceedingly ordinary. She recognized almost none of them, save for Shikamaru and Chouji sitting in the back near Naruto. Naruto had a whole table to himself in the back corner, and he was grinning encouragingly at her. She gave him in particular a wider smile than the rest- what a goofball.

"My name is Charlie Shimizu. I'm new to the village," she started. "My goal is to protect the people I care about. I hope we can all be friends." She gave a quick bow. Hopefully that was generic enough.

"Very good, Charlie-chan. You may take a seat wherever you like," Kuboyashi told her.

She found more and more peoples' eyebrows raising as she passed all the open spots to sit next to her new friend. Naruto leaned over to her once she'd sat, and he had a little smile on his face. "You can borrow some of my paper if you want," he offered, and slid her a sheet, along with a pen.

Ah, shit. She'd forgotten that she'd actually need school supplies. In the whirlwind that was yesterday, she hadn't even thought of it, which was a rarity. Ideally, she wouldn't need it at all- she could memorize anything she saw, after all- but she did need to keep up appearances. She'd have to make a pitstop at the store after school.

"Thanks, Naru-chan," she whispered to him, and sat with her back straight as the lecture began.

Ever the diligent student.

As Kuboyashi began talking about their latest writing exercises- apparently language was their first class of the day- Naruto was quickly losing interest. She found that as many of the students began taking notes on stroke order, the blond was rolling his eyes, loosely jotting down the character on his paper before glancing out the window.

Charlie sighed. No wonder he'd graduated last, his mind drifted elsewhere almost immediately. Granted they weren't talking about anything that would interest him much, but still...

"**He clearly doesn't take after me in that respect,**" Minato voiced sheepishly. She noticed that he always seemed to tune in when Naruto was around. It was kind of cute, and at the same time she really could'nt blame him for it. He had missed a great portion of the kid's life.

Charlie cracked a grin. '_Doesn't he know that Hokages need to write sometimes?_'

She bopped the boy in his side, and he frowned at her. "Pay attention, at least for a little while," she told him in a hushed tone.

Naruto grimaced, but reluctantly turned to face the front. Then, his eyes slid over to her. "I hope you're not going to make me _study _too," he mumbled puckishly, and doodled a tree in the corner of his paper.

Oh, Lord.

'_You bet your ass I'll make you study,_' she replied in her head. No friend of hers was failing out of the fifth grade- or whatever system they had.

Charlie watched as the friend in question blew out a dramatic sigh and rested his chin in his palm, and made a face.

She'd have her work cut out for her.

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**Jazzmeene: Thank you for your kind words and support! I believe also that she is quite strategic. I have a few ideas I am playing around with as far as character development goes, but we'll have to see; character development is one of the aspects I'm playing by ear in this story. **

**SkullMuffinGirl: Thank you, I'm excited as well to see how she develops! I apologize if the description was a little ambiguous, to tell the truth I haven't decided if adding another person to her head would bog down the story progression- though I am considering it. Let me know what you think on the matter, advice is always helpful!**

**OldCHild: Thank you for the pairing suggestion! It would be funny I think to see how she and Shika interact, being cut from the same cloth so to speak. With Charlie's red hair, she will definitely be suspected of being an Uzumaki by some of the village- I do imagine it being closer to Kushina's color rather than ginger- and the question of her heritage will definitely play a role in the coming chapters, so good spotting. Stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 4! If it seemed weird that I cut the day in half, don't worry, it was weird to me too! I just wrote so much for this day that it really would've been one loooong chapter. Anyway, as always, responses at the bottom. Tally for now is:**

**SasuxOC: 2**

**ShikaxOC: 1**

**ObitoxOC: 1**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter 4**

Kuboyashi was the devil in the form of a 6'2" stock character.

Charlie was convinced of it.

She stood with her arms crossed, glaring the man down like he'd stepped on her toe, and cocking her hip with _just _the right amount of sass. '_He knows I just moved here. How am I supposed to spar against these kids? EH?_'

Oh, yes. You heard that right. Taijutsu class was in full swing, and Charlie was not getting a free pass just because she was the new kid. Unfortunately. So now, she was (in vain) attempting to appeal to his sensibilities. "Kuboyashi-sensei, I don't think I'm-"

"You'll be sparring, just like everyone else. Now, go to your partner." Her partner, by the way, was a tall, gangly sort of kid by the name of Suzuki Taro. He kind of looked like a fish- his hair flipped out at odd angles, and he had a kind of pinched look to his face and a weirdly shaped mouth. Well, maybe he looked more like a squid with those long arms. But anyway.

The kid was tapping his foot and staring her down, obviously impatient to beat her down and get praised for it. And knowing how weak her body was at the moment, he probably could.

Charlie flushed. Her _pride _was at stake, damn it! "_Go,_" Kuboyashi implored, and pushed her in the kid's direction. Many of the kids were already sparring, including Naruto, who was getting his ass handed to him because he kept staring in confusion at her. Damn it.

Sighing, she ducked her way through the throng to her partner, mean mugging him the whole way. He blinked his too-round eyes at her. "Don't think I'm going easy on you, just cause you're a girl," he muttered at her once she stood a few yards away. He made the seal of confrontation, and she followed suit.

She bent her knees and held her hands by her face, the one stance she remembered seeing from the show itself. '_Minato, I could use your help right about now,_' she thought, deadpanning her face against the anxiety she now felt. The kid was bracing himself, too. It was a standoff of wills.

"**You'll be fine,**" Minato said cheerfully.

'_What do you mean, fine! This kid's probably been training all his life, and I'm as squishy as a donut!_'

The kid was staring at her again, probably hoping she'd attack him first. Fat chance, buddy.

"**Just use your brain**." Oh, _that's _helpful. Like she hadn't been before! She'd _tried _using her brain, and Kuboyashi hadn't let her back out of the fight!

Abruptly, Taro's eyes flashed, and he was charging at her. She couldn't stop the 'eep!' from escaping her mouth as she swept to the side, almost too late. She was _so _out of her depth here!

Taro was glaring at her now. "Well? Aren't you gonna fight, or are you too scared?" he mocked, his stupid triangle mouth raising into a sneer.

Charlie's face burned.

He made a go at her again, but this time, he predicted (correctly) that she'd duck to the right, and caught her throat with his elbow. The clothesline flattened her on her back, and she coughed, anger flaring up. "Is that even allowed?" she grouched, getting to her feet with a scowl. Her throat felt like a frog had seated itself right next to her windpipe, and it hurt more than she'd admit.

The shithead grinned. He _grinned_. Oh, _now he was gonna get it._

Charlie dashed at him with her fist raised. Taro feigned left and then moved right, jabbing her in the side that she'd neglected to protect. She stumbled a bit, righted herself, and stuck out a leg to trip him. He fell for it, and got a mouthful of dirt for his troubles.

She found herself laughing, ignoring the pain from her side as he spat out a clod of soil and gave her the evil eye. "What, can't take what you give?" Charlie giggled.

The kid got to his feet, wiping dirt from his mouth with a glower. "You'll regret that," he promised.

"You've a little dirt on your chin still. Just there." She scratched at her own chin, and grinned maliciously. He didn't really have dirt on his chin, but it was damn funny to watch him scrub it anyway.

Upon realizing she'd played him, he reddened and neared her, fisting his hands. Charlie tensed, and they began circling each other, eyes sizing the other up. Abruptly, he pivoted on his heel, fist flying and aiming for her stomach. She managed to push it to the side, but missed the other fist heading straight for her face.

He landed right on her cheekbone, and she felt something crack as it connected. Pain exploded over her face, and her skull felt funny as she staggered back, hand already hovering over the new injury. "_Fuck!_" she cursed, hair hiding her face as she tried to push back the tears that had automatically begun to gather in her eyes.

He'd hit way too hard, she knew dimly; nobody was supposed to get broken bones from a _sparring match_. Or at least, not the kid version. Taro seemed to know he's messed up as her hand came away, the skin underneath already swelling with blood.

The fighting and jeering that had been coming from the other kids stopped abruptly at her yelled expletive, and all eyes were on them as she straightened, giving Taro the coldest glare she could manage. She said nothing, worried that if she did her voice would break because shit, _that really hurt_. She'd never broken a bone before.

Kuboyashi approached the duo with a hard face. "What happened?" he demanded, looking at Taro like he'd look at gum on his shoe.

"W-we were fighting a-and-" Taro tried, already sweating and nervous. No doubt he'd get in a ton of trouble, Charlie thought. Kuboyashi wasn't one to pull punches, she could tell, and from the stony look on his face, he was already thinking up ways he could legally torture the kid for going too far.

"It's fine," she busted out, still glaring at Taro, and went back to cupping her face. It hurt to talk, though she was pleased that she hadn't stumbled through her words. "We both went too far. I think I antagonized him too much, anyway."

Kuboyashi stared at her a moment before looking back at Taro. "Well, regardless, Taro-kun, you know this is only training. Both of you, make the seal of reconciliation. Taro-kun, you will take her to the nurse and explain exactly what you just did," he ordered quickly. His dark eyes focused on the rest of the kids, still watching the procession. "The rest of you, back to work."

She stared the kid in the eye as they made the seal. He still looked nervous as all hell, but surprise shone in his too-wide eyes. Well, she'd done her best to absolve him of some punishment. Whatever happened next, well, happened.

Taro was quiet as he led her to the infirmary, sneaking glances at her every few seconds until, halfway down a random hallway, she growled, "Quit staring at me guiltily. If you feel sorry, just say it and get it over with." Perhaps she was a bit impatient in her pain. Could you blame her?

The boy turned red again, shoulders rising. "I-I'm sorry, Charlie-chan. I got carried away," he mumbled, looking away shamefully.

The redhead sighed. "We both did. I apologize for egging you on. Next time, we'll both know better."

The rest of the walk was spent in silence, though thankfully, he didn't look at her again until they came to a stop in front of some random door. It wasn't even marked. He knocked thrice on the closed door, and waited.

"Come in!" came a cheerful voice. Taro held the door for her nicely as Charlie walked in, grimacing at the smell of antiseptic. Indeed, this was definitely a nurse's quarters. There were a few empty bunks, many jars of cotton swabs, towelettes, clean and packaged syringes, and alcohol pads lined the walls. Behind a small desk was a small, but plump older woman in a medic uniform, and she gave her a concerned look as she stood from her chair.

"What happened?" she asked, and Charlie lowered her hand as she allowed the woman to look over the injury. Her fingers glided over the broken part, and Charlie held back a gasp of pain as she jerked away. The woman tsked.

"I hit her too hard," Taro confessed, staring at his shoes.

The nurse glared at him. "You children always get so carried away. You go to your sensei and tell him that she's fractured her cheekbone and she won't be coming back to class today. When your class is done, you can come right back here with her homework. You understand?"

Taro nodded and ran out like a scared little mouse. Despite herself, Charlie chuckled.

"He was so confident before, too," the redhead mumbled. The nurse raised her eyebrows as she led her to an examination table. Charlie climbed on, and let her feet dangle as the woman bustled about the room looking for something.

"You don't seem too bent out of shape," the woman noted, plucking an alcohol pad out of one of the jars and an empty syringe out of another. "You must be in a lot of pain," she added, sparing her a concerned glance.

"Mistakes happen. I'm sure he's going to be feeling more pain than I am when Kuboyashi-sensei's through with him." Though it _was _worth mentioning that if she were any regular ten year old, she would probably be crying her eyes out. The humiliation she'd feel afterwards was enough to keep _that _at bay.

"Oh, so you're in Jin-kun's class? I don't think I've seen you around before," the woman said. She pulled a bottle of _something _out of the desk drawer, and stuck the needle into it, drawing whatever liquid was inside, out. Odd; Kuboyashi didn't seem like he'd take a '-kun' from anyone.

"I'm new to the village. Shimizu Charlie," the girl explained. "Today was my first day."

The nurse barked a laugh. "My name is Ishikawa Kaya, and you'll probably be seeing more of me. That is one way to spend your first day, huh?" Charlie laughed with her. She hoped it wasn't an omen for what was to come.

"Nice to meet you." Charlie shifted uneasily as the woman neared her with the needle. She hated those.

Ishikawa gave her an apologetic smile. "I'll have to set the bone first before I heal you, this is some localized numbing medicine so you won't feel as much. Okay?"

Charlie gave what she hope was a reassuring smile, though it turned into a grimace as she wiped down the area with the alcohol pad and stuck her with little preamble. Thankfully, the needle didn't hurt as much as Taro's punch did. Which reminded her... '_You probably feel pretty bad right about now, huh?_' she thought, throwing in a rather lighthearted jab at her companion.

Minato seemed to be laughing at her, which made her eyes squint. "**While I'm sorry you got hurt, it was a lesson, wasn't** **it?**"

'_I learned not to underestimate ten-year-olds,_' she thought in annoyance. Damn it, she thought he'd feel guilty for not helping her. Was he one of those 'it's for your own good' types? She hated that type.

"**No, Charlie-chan. You learned that you're outclassed against these kids, and because of your weakness, you got hurt. What does that say to you?**"

'_That you're mean and don't care about my feelings.'_

She could feel his rolling eyes. "**_No_, that you need to work harder than anyone else to catch up. Otherwise, you'll just get bopped in the face again the next time you have to** **spar**." Okay, so what if he was right? She didn't need to break her face to figure that one out. "**I stand by what I did. You have to learn what you're up against, even when it's another child. We're going to be starting training as soon as the nurse releases you, and hopefully, you'll take it more seriously than you did this morning.**"

Well, imagine that. She was being admonished, even after she'd been socked in the face. If she was a dog, her tail would be between her legs.

"Are you feeling the effects yet?" Ishikawa asked, coming back to her side after she'd disposed of the syringe. There was a small grin on her face, which Charlie didn't quite understand.

"Na I fe fi'-" Charlie started, but her expression went blank. Suddenly, she couldn't feel the left side of her face. Trippy. She gave the nurse a bug-eyed look.

Ishikawa was laughing. "Haha, that never gets old. Anyway. I'll start now. You'll probably feel a lot of pressure, but try not to move, okay?"

With little adieu, she grabbed one side of Charlie's skull with one hand, and the other went to the injured cheekbone. There was a sick grinding sound as the woman pushed with all her might and the two ridges of the bone came together again.

It still hurt, but it felt more like her head was getting squished under a press. She couldn't help the small groan that left her lips as Ishikawa pulled back- her face felt funny again. "Okay, now I'm going to clear up the damage with chakra. This will feel really tingly, but again, don't move, okay?"

Her hand glowed green as she held it over Charlie's cheek. She was right; her chakra felt like pins and needles as it entered her skin, flowing up through her whole face. She couldn't feel the work it did, the buzzing feeling covered it all, but it must've taken a while. By the time the healing session was done, Ishikawa was covered in sweat, and the girl's shoulders and neck ached from holding still for so long. It must've been at least a half hour.

"Alright, you should mostly be good to go. Here's an ice pack; you'll probably be in a bit of pain once the medicine wears off," the nurse said, handing her an icepack and giving her a pat on the shoulder. "Now, you just rest in one of those bunks, I'm sure you've got a headache now."

It was true; she had. Her skull had finally had enough of being rearranged for the day and was now pounding its dissatisfaction into her brain. Bobbing her head wearily, Charlie moved to the indicated bunk that was (thankfully) away from any windows. She laid the icepack on her cheek and closed her eyes, more than ready for a nap.

What a school she'd joined.

.

.

ALC. ALC. ALC.

.

.

She was being shaken.

Charlie's eyes blinked open, glaring at whoever had had the gall to wake her. "What?" she grunted, raising her hands to rub at her eyes. Her head was still pounding; it couldn't have been more than an hour that she'd been asleep.

"It's Taro," Taro said sheepishly. "School's out. I came to give you the homework."

She shuffled up until the blanket pooled around her waist, and took the papers that he held in his hand. Some of it she had missed, but hopefully Naruto had been paying enough attention to help her out.

"Thanks," she said, and swung her feet out.

"Y-you're welcome," Taro replied, stepping back to give her a fair amount of space as she stood. He was still nervous about earlier, she could tell.

She quirked her mouth to the side as she looked at him. "Seriously dude. I'm fine. I hope Kuboyashi-sensei isn't making you hurt too badly."

Taro glanced away. "Nothing too horrible. He-"

Naruto interrupted in his usual way. By charging in and all but bowling her over.

Charlie's eyebrow twitched as she righted herself, giving the blond a good bonk on the back of the head as he looked her over. "Hey, Charlie-chan, are you alright?!" he asked, and then, seeing Taro, gave him a mean glare. "You're lucky Kuboyashi-sensei only gave you a few detentions! If it was me, I'd-"

Taro squeaked and beat a hasty retreat, not wanting to stay around to hear what Naruto would do. Charlie found herself laughing. "Naru-chan, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying about me. Ishikawa-san fixed me right up."

Ishikawa, as if she'd been called, approached the two of them as well. "Now, here's a fresh ice pack. You keep that injury on ice until tomorrow morning, but beyond that, you should be good to go, okay?"

Charlie took it, and gave her a warm smile. "Thanks for all your help. I'll be seeing you around, Ishikawa-san!" The redhead locked elbows with her friend as they started to depart.

"You'd better hope not!" Ishikawa called after them as the door closed.

"Do you want to go get ramen, if you're feeling better?" Naruto asked, as soon as they were out of the building. It was only four o' clock, but the light lunch had started to wear on her, and that Ichiraku's place sure was good yesterday...

"**Remember what we planned?**" Minato piped up, and she almost groaned aloud.

Pursing her lips, she grabbed Naruto by the hand to stop him. "As much as I would love that, I'm feeling rather shamed that my spar went so badly, so I'm probably going to skip to train. However..." She dug around in her pockets for a minute, before coming up with enough coins to fit the bill. She curled them into one of his hands. "Get me something you think I'd like, and bring it home once you're done. I'll come over once I'm finished, too. 'Kay?"

He gave her a close-eyed smile. "Okay!" And off he dashed.

Charlie sighed, already feeling her stomach start to rumble. '_This better be good, Minato._'

Her companion led her to empty training grounds on the far side of the village. It wasn't an overly large area, about half a football field, but it was spotted with a fair amount of trees, and there was a stream that cut through the last quadrant of it. "**This is where I used to train. Not many come out this far,**" Minato explained. There was a wistful tone in his voice, and she remembered again how lonely he must've been cooped up in there for all that time.

She wondered absently, if she ever had the chance to go home, if she could stand to take it from him. And then, of course, clamped down on that thought with an iron fist, hoping Minato hadn't been tuned in enough to catch a glimpse of it. _That _kind of question, the gloomy kind where no one's fully happy regardless of the answer, was one she didn't want to face. Was one she probably would not face at all, until it was too late to do any kind of thinking on the matter.

"Alright, what's first?" she wondered aloud, clapping her hands together. The sudden tone of the situation had taken an uncomfortable twist, though perhaps it was all in her head. A moment ago, she was determined to do whatever Minato told her to to get strong. Now, all she wanted was to hide from her problems and never come out. Perhaps she needed to stop thinking so much.

Thankfully, Minato didn't seem to catch the same feelings as she had, because his voice was bright and chipper as he said, "**Let's start with stretches. Arms, legs, shoulders, ankles, wrists.**"

She was reminded absurdly of P.E. class as she stretched her arms high over her head, one after the other. Not that she'd ever participated after about middle school- she'd skip out to go to the library. It was a black mark on her otherwise stellar high school resume, and now, she kind of regretted it.

Once she felt limber enough to continue, Minato had her running laps. As in, _many_ laps. As in, as many laps as she could do, until she fell on her face. '_Why?_' she demanded, already feeling the sweat drip down her back after the fifth go around the training grounds. Her legs had begun to burn a bit. Lactic acidosis from inhaling so much oxygen, her brain supplied. Thanks, brain.

"**Because when you face an opponent, you never know what your condition will be. You must be able to fight through your exhaustion. Plus, your stamina is abysmal. Keep going!**"

_Abysmal- _she was going to box him when she saw him next.

So she ran, and ran, until black spots swarmed her vision and she felt like it was all she could do not to throw up. '_How's that, eh?'_

"**You could've done better.**" She gaped. "**Alright, now that you're properly exhausted. Do as many push-ups as you can, and only start counting when they start to hurt."**

Charlie's arms started to wobble on the third go. '_Minato, they ALL hurt!_'

He was laughing at her and her misery. "**Okay, start counting when you feel like you're about to pass out!**" _About to what-_

There was no other possible way to say this, but Minato... was a tyrant. She did as many pushups as she could- as it turned out, she could do six while on the verge of blacking out- and then was given a five minute break to drink from the stream. It was clean water, thankfully, not too murky that she wouldn't drink from it. But then she was doing crunches, to the point where she had to pause after every few to let the muscles stop cramping. And then she was doing sprints this time, from the chainlink fence to the first tree. And then she got a drink. And then she was doing pullups from the low branches of a sturdy looking oak. And then, absurdly, he was having her try front rolls ("**You'll need to be comfortable with them later on**," he'd explained, and she hadn't questioned him).

Rinse, wash, repeat.

Two hours later, Charlie lied face down on the grass, not giving half a crap about all the bugs and bacteria she was probably lying on (though, being a germaphobe, she usually would be). Her hand was the only thing that moved, and it twitched once in a while as if to remind everyone outside of her that somehow, she was still kicking.

"I feel like I'm about to puke," she said outloud as her stomach swirled sickeningly.

"**You shouldn't have trained on an empty stomach,**" Minato replied smartly. He was always _so _smart.

'_What do you mean? YOU made me train!_'

"**Well, next time, you'll be better prepared, won't** **you?**" She growled at nothing. "**This is only a tiny portion of what I used to do when I was your age. I'm going easy on you, believe it or not. Now, pick yourself up and go home. It's almost seven by now, I'm sure my son is waiting for you.**"

Charlie's entire body felt too weak to move, so she lied there some more until she felt ready to get to her leaden feet and go home. Despite the fact that she had obviously overworked herself, there also came a sense of accomplishment. Minato couldn't _force _her to do anything, she knew; she had stayed there, and listened to him, wholly of her own willpower. That was something to be proud of.

So, as her skin pebbled in the chilly evening air, and as the wind whipped her hair into her face, she fashioned a small grin on her face.

Progress. She liked the feeling.

* * *

A tall, built figure watched from the roof of a nearby shop as the small girl stood from her prone position and limped home. The man straightened, rolling his shoulders- he'd sat out for quite a while, after all.

Then, his form disappeared in a puff, with the only memory of his being there carried on the leaves he left in his wake.

_He_ would be interested. Very interested.

* * *

**The Magus Killer: Thank you for your review! You make good points. I do agree it's little strange to pair a mentally grown person with kids, though of course I don't intend to have her involved with anyone until everyone is of legal age lol! Our lil Obito does deserve a little shine in his life, provided he atones for his actions first. He was perverted by Madara and it's a shame how his story ended in canon. As for the polling though, I think I may hold off on that idea simply because I can't figure in every potential match people may want to see. But we'll see, I may end up needing one haha. Thanks again for your advice!**

**SkullMuffinGirl: Thanks for your ideas, that's actually a really interesting take on it. We'll see how the story progresses on, I've set it up to be a rather long one I think so there'll be plenty of time to explore. I've already come up with a bit to explain how Mina and Charlie are connected in the coming chapters, though much is still yet to be unveiled. I like their interactions too, by the way; both blonds are really funny characters lmao!**

**Jazzmeene: I agree wholeheartedly. Though I've set her up to be a predominantly relatable, funny, and sassy character, I think she has great potential to be ruthless and coldblooded too. Thank you for your review and insight, I really appreciate it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Heyo, comin' at ya live with a new update. I may fool around and give you chapter six later on today, too, since there's not much action in this one. Tally for pairings so far is:**

**ShikaxOC: 7**

**ObitoxOC: 2**

**SasuxOC: 2**

**MinaXOC: 1**

**Chapter 5**

After what had happened during taijutsu class a few days ago, people began giving Taro a wide berth.

Charlie had noticed it, though of course, how could she not? She heard very well what they would whisper about him, and the rumors they spread. It had been the opposite of what she'd wanted, and now, she was starting to get a bit annoyed.

It didn't help that they all saw her as a damsel in distress, now. The next day, she had arrived to class followed by an entourage- they'd stumbled up to her along her route to school, started talking, and didn't stop. They were all, apparently, so very worried- though none of them had bothered to visit her at the nurse's. And they were quite upset that one of their own had decided to, in their words, 'attack the new girl'.

It didn't stop there. They even believed she needed to be saved from Naruto, himself. That day, and the next two following it, they somehow managed to shoo him away from her _every time _they set out to school together. She could tell it was grating on his nerves, not only the hurt look he would give them, but also the righteous "HEY!" he would yell soon after. They didn't seem to mind.

"Stay away from him," they'd whisper, though they may as well have been yelling it because she was sure Naruto heard it all. "He's weird, Kaa-chan said he was a demon once." "My Tou-san got mad at me for talking to him once." "I heard he stole cabbage from one of the merchants one time." "I heard he-"

Oh, it went on. They were kids, all of them, and perhaps they didn't know any better. But perhaps she could be the one to teach them. So, on Friday, the last day of the school week, Charlie made a point of grabbing Naruto's hand as she saw the usual suspects approaching her on their way to school- three girls that were named Mayu, Akiko, and Chiyoko. The blond boy shot her a small grin, which she returned.

"Ohayou, Charlie-chan!" the girls greeted in unison. Their voices were approriately cheery, though their eyes were all fixed on her hand in his. "How are you feeling today?" For some reason, even though she'd been completely healed, they still seemed to be concerned about it. It warmed her a little, though, to tell the truth. They weren't heartless, like she had come to expect from the villagers who hated on Naruto- they were just badly misled.

Charlie smiled a little. "I'm fine." Honestly, after that second ice pack, she'd felt completely fine. The wonders of medical ninjutsu were beyond compare.

"Ne, ne, I heard Kuboyashi-sensei is making Taro-kun wash the boards for the rest of the month! Can you believe it?" Mayu said, grinning. She was the biggest gossip of the three of them, and perhaps of the entire class. She thrived on being 'in the know'. She would make a great intel gatherer in the future, provided she could keep a lid on what she learned.

Akiko and Chiyoko laughed, as if it was the best news they'd heard all day. "He deserves it. You know, I can't believe he was so mean that day. Who knew he hated outsiders so much?" Akiko blurted, and then turned scarlet red as her eyes darted to Charlie. "N-not that you're an outsider, Charlie-chan, just y-you're new, you know!"

Chiyoko and Mayu rolled their eyes at the faux pas. "Way to go, Akiko-chan. Now she's going to think we're just like _him_."

Charlie's hand squeezed Naruto's hard enough that he squeaked. She'd had enough of their assumptions. They had been spitballing all week about how he hated new kids, people from other villages, non-clan kids, the poor, the rich, girls. There were so many rumors about his punishment, his grades, his _family_. One small act could decimate a person here, it seemed.

She was silent the rest of the way to school, and barely greeted the other kids who joined after. The girls probably thought she was mad at them now, but she sort of was; just not for what they'd expect. She couldn't remember fifth grade being this... _harsh_. And judgy.

Naruto didn't say much either. From the way his sky blue eyes lingered on her, she knew he could tell she was getting angry. It didn't really happen that often, to tell the truth; even in her past life, she could get frustrated, but nothing could make her _angry_. Except for righteous causes such as this. Obvious wrongs.

As she entered the classroom, around ten kids following after, she had to remind herself to keep the lid on the boiling pot that was her temper. Taro was slumped at his desk, looking for all the world like he hadn't slept in the past week. Around him, three boys mercilessly taunted him, picking at his hair, his clothes. Taro had mostly drawn into a corner after the event had happened, and perhaps he even felt that he _deserved _it. She had caught looks of resignation on his face often during these little torture sessions, and he wore one now.

Charlie'd had enough. Just like that, her patience burst. The lid flew off the pot.

She stomped towards them, poor Naruto dragged in her wake, and pointed an accusatory finger at each of the three boys in turn. "_Cut it out_!" she exclaimed. Their jeering stopped, and they stared at her as if she'd grown a second head. "Did you think bullying another kid would make me _happy_? Or did you just want an excuse to be mean?"

You could hear a pin drop.

The redhead turned to the rest of the class, who were all stood stock still and watching her. "He's apologized to me. I have forgiven him. So let it go." She whirled on the three boys next, a cold glare on her face. "Apologize. And you better mean it."

They eyed each other hesitantly. "B-but Charlie-chan, we-"

She cut him off with a growl. "_Apologize_. And hope he forgives you."

One by one, they bowed to Taro, and muttered an apology under their breaths before taking their seats. For his part, Taro looked as uncomfortable as a fish out of water. He merely gave each of them a shaky nod.

Huffing, she continued past him to her seat, dragging Naruto along behind her. Hopefully, that would be the end of it.

Charlie relaxed on the bench, pulling out the brand new notebook she had purchased a few days ago and a pen. Naruto was watching her again, curiousity alight in his young features. She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

The kid grinned. "Charlie-chan. You're scary when you're mad."

She bopped his head, rolling her eyes as a small smile curled her lips.

* * *

Perhaps she had scared them a bit _too _much.

She realized this at lunch, when her spare time with Naruto was blissfully unperturbed. Rather than outright coming up to her and inviting themselves along, everyone decided to merely watch from afar.

The blond, for his part, was laughing at her. "I told you you were scary," he said, shoving a mouthful of rice down his gullet. She had managed to get back to the store to find more healthy options for the both of them, which Minato had been pleased about. Both of their lunches now looked more normal, though she couldn't say she _felt _any healthier.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Well, I couldn't just let them keep picking on him, could I?" She glanced surreptitiously over her shoulder, where a large number of their classmates were huddled together. They kept casting stares her way, and she knew without a doubt they were talking about her.

She leaned back on her hands, bento forgotten in her lap as a cool breeze wafted through the area. She'd never get over how nice the weather was here, or how clean the air. "The weather's much to nice to be gossiping like that," she added, sighing.

Naruto waved his chopsticks dismissively. "The weather's always nice. Anyway, _I _think he got what was coming to him, -ttebayo."

The redhead glared at him with critical eyes. "He just got carried away, Naru-chan. You know as well as I do that bullying isn't right." The blond flushed and looked away in embarrassment.

"Oi."

The two looked up, surprised at the voice. They didn't think they'd be disturbed, given the circumstances, but there Taro stood, looking all the world like he really didn't want to be there. His scratched his cheek, not willing to meet either of their gazes. "Thanks. For earlier," he said, shuffling awkwardly.

Charlie smiled a little. "It needed to be done." Her eyes flitted down to the bento in his hands. "Care to join us?"

She saw how the kid looked at Naruto nervously before he shook his head. "Ah, n-no, I'm fine. See you in class." And off he went.

Charlie puffed out her cheeks in annoyance at his retreating back, and shoved a string bean into her mouth. "Brat," she mumbled out loud.

Her blond companion stared down at his food, a little sadly. "I don't know what makes them like that," he grumbled. "It's not like I did anything."

The girl felt her heart constrict for the poor boy, and cursed those ignorant people who passed their hatred on to their children. They continually ostracized a good kid, with a brave heart. They made him act out to get any attention at all, and when it worked, they felt reaffirmed that he was a demon rather than just a sad, lonely kid.

Minato must've felt her sadness, because his presence flared in her head, brighter than ever. She didn't really want him to have to see Naruto's pain. It was a grim reminder that his plan had gone awry. But nevertheless, he saw.

His feelings of hurt buzzed between her ears.

Charlie grit her teeth, and lunged at her friend, pulling him to her and holding him there as if she could shield him from their words with her body. "They're dumb," she muttered to him, setting her chin in his hair as he hung limply in her grip. "They don't know you. I've only known you for a week, Naru-chan, and you're the brightest bulb out of anyone. So don't let anyone hurt you, okay?"

His face was smooshed in her chest, but he extricated himself enough to mumble an "okay".

She held onto him just a bit longer, just because she could, before releasing him. "Oh, and Naruto?"

He looked at her in surprise at the use of his full name.

"You're my best friend now."

Naruto gave her a megawatt grin.

* * *

Charlie stood in the center of training grounds 8 with an irked look on her face. Air came in labored puffs from her mouth, and sweat beaded on her forehead. The night had already begun to cast the clearing into shades of blue and purple, but there she stood still nevertheless. The somber air that had taken over her during her first visit here had all but abated the more she visited it, and now, well, now it was just a field.

'_Exactly how many times are you going to make me do this?_' she thought disparagingly, stretching her arms above her head and willing her heart to calm. The evening air had cooled enough that she could see her breath as the wind took it from her. It must've been bordering on fall, by now.

"**Until you pass** **out,**" Minato replied. If she'd been able to see his face, she knew he probably would've been giving her a Kakashi-esque close-eyed smile.

The bastard.

Oh, sure, he wasn't _serious_. He didn't really want her to pass out, or at least she didn't think so. He just wanted her to run until she tripped, fell, and didn't have the energy to get back up. His tyrant qualities had only magnified since their first session, and she'd grown a bit put out to be honest.

'_Are you sure this training isn't going to kill me early?' _she grumbled, regretfully lowering herself into the start position.

"**Hope not!" **Oh, she'd kill him.

Shaking her head, the girl set off in a dead sprint, following the long-memorized route around the training grounds. It wasn't a large area, but it took its toll on her. There were inclines, declines, unsteady ground, roots and branches and holes to either jump over or vault. It truly was an obstacle course, and she ran it over and over and over again until one tree blended into the next and the motions she went through, she could do with her eyes closed.

She'd better be ripped by the time this training was over. Minato put her through enough turmoil that she woke every day to her body screaming. She felt like an old hag at the ripe age of ten. Yet she did what he said each day, reminded over and over that he was going easy on her. If he could do it, well hell, why couldn't she? Sure, it took its toll, but it felt better than just staying in place and waiting to stumble upon her chakra.

Oh, and that was the other sticking point. Chakra. She'd tried her damndest, each and every day, to reach for it, to feel it somehow. But each morning felt more and more disappointing. The redhead wasn't used to failure, yet each time she woke she felt closer and closer to it. Minato still seemed surprisingly optimistic, but perhaps he was more used to trial and error than she was. Charlie was used to results, and to quick ones at that.

One could argue it was a humbling experience, to work for what you get. Charlie would argue that she would rather be humbled in any other way. She needed that chakra. If she didn't have it, she didn't know what she'd do, save seek out Guy. She sincerely doubted she'd ever be on the taijutsu level of him or Rock Lee, though. And so she doubled her efforts.

Charlie grit her teeth, forcing her protesting muscles faster and faster as she jumped over branches and dips in the ground. She would run until her body failed, if that was what it took to find the chakra she was seeking. She'd go beyond.

"You're looking pretty ruthless for how small you are," a voice suddenly said. Her eyes had been focusing on her feet as she tried not to trip, but now she glanced up, shocked at the new arrival. She recognized him, of course, and wondered what it was about her that brought all the main characters out of the woodworks. First Naruto stumbles upon her, and now Kakashi? In the training grounds that are supposed to be deserted?

Charlie dug her heels into the dirt to stop from running into the guy, and gave him a reproachful look as she skidded to a halt right under his nose. "**He finally got taller,**" Minato said, sounding pleasantly surprised. She didn't blame him; Kakashi'd been a little twerp for a long while before he'd come into his own.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted without thinking, eyebrows drawing together. "And why are you in the running path?"

The silver-haired man grinned at her behind his mask. "Well, I thought it was a nice, quiet spot to read." He flapped the suspicious orange book in his hand. "Imagine my surprise at seeing such a little person working herself to death."

The redhead pouted. Sure, she was only ten, but she wasn't _little_. It felt strangely humiliating to be talked to like that, especially since she'd grown out of being little a long time ago. "I'm not working myself to death, I'm working myself to exhaustion. If you'll excuse me." She brushed past him. He was every bit as odd and teasing as she'd expected him to be.

"**This is where I used to take them to train,**" Minato revealed suddenly, after she'd already started jogging again. "**There are a lot of memories here. Some of the felled trees and branches you see are from us.**" His tone was wistful. "**That was a long time ago. If I know Kakashi-kun, he's probably reliving old** **memories**." Well, if she'd thought of that, she would've left the place in peace immediately after seeing the guy.

Interestingly, Kakashi didn't seem to mind. He watched her, his one dark eye following her form as she trampled the ground underfoot. Never once did he flip open his book, though he did seem lost in thought. The man kept watching, until the sun finally set completely and the girl ran herself into the ground.

On her back there, letting the aches of the workout settle over her like she'd been dipped in fire, Charlie stuck a hand over her heart. It was beating faster than a galloping horse, and it jumped even further when his face suddenly appeared over hers. He blocked out the moon, and just stared at her.

"You stayed," she noted, raising a single eyebrow.

"I couldn't well let you pass out here, after all," Kakashi explained, giving her that eye smile again.

Charlie found herself laughing. "I do this every night. Somehow, I manage to drag myself home. Thanks for worrying about me, though." She stuck her hand straight in the air. "Shimizu Charlie. Nice to meet you."

He slowly shook her hand, though he offered no name in return.

Charlie cleared her throat to cover a wheeze as she pulled herself to her knees, and then to her feet. "I'll leave you to your reading," she said, though it was clearly too dark to read now and it had been almost the entire duration of his visit.

"Goodnight," he called as she strode off, and she threw a casual wave over her shoulder.

She had a feeling she'd be seeing more of him.

* * *

Charlie headed straight home after that, too dog tired to do anything else. Her brain felt about as mushy as her legs, and it was all she could do to not stumble into some bushes for a quick nap.

'_So, what do you think, Minato? About Kakashi? Is it weird seeing him?_'

"**He's different than he was as my student. I'm... conflicted****.**" She wondered if there was more to it than that, but she didn't pry.

Instead, Charlie said, '_He's Naruto's future sensei, did I tell you that? I think it's a good thing, for both of them. Though he may not be the sullen kid he used to be, he still has a lot of pain in him. Not that anyone would be able to tell from first glance._' She held a finger to her chin thoughtfully. '_I think I'm glad I met him today. Maybe I can introduce Naruto to him one of these days._'

"**It's still strange, knowing that you know everything about our lives,**" Minato replied, more candidly than she was used to from him. She stuttered a bit in her walk, hoping she hadn't creeped him out. Truth be told, it was weird for her, too; knowing everything about everyone, and not being able to say anything about it. The product of being in a different universe.

'_Does it make you uncomfortable? I can stop..._'

He laughed at her. "**It's alright. It's not like you can help the position you've been put in.**" That was the wrong thing to say, it turned out, because her thoughts took a more morose turn. She hadn't really thought about it much, or really wanted to, but the elephant in the room seemed to be getting larger and larger.

'_Neither of us can. Jeez, this week has been so weird._' It was finally hitting her that she'd been completely normal and fine in her own universe a little over a week ago. Now, now she was talking with the Fourth Hokage in her head, playing big sister to his son, and psychoanalyzing his former student? She didn't know what she'd do if she suddenly woke up right back where she'd been. Coming here was already enough of a trip.

It all felt so real, though. And as logical as she was, Charlie couldn't believe that it wasn't her reality anymore. She didn't know how she'd gotten here, or how long she'd be here, but damn it, she'd been preparing for the long haul- and she hadn't even realized it. Trying to access her chakra, making best friends with Naruto, confiding in the Hokage, training until she felt like dying every night? What the hell was she _doing_? Did she really want to stay here _forever_? Did she want to potentially change the timeline, all in the name of keeping Naruto safe and well?

Hell, did she even have the right? To talk to Kakashi like she didn't know what had happened to him in the past? To watch over Naruto under the guise of a child, though she was really 17?

Charlie glared down at her feet, stopping abruptly in the middle of the street. She hated having so many questions. She hated how out of control this world made her feel, how out of her own depths she was. Why was she trying so hard? What drove her to do what she'd been doing, besides that she wanted to change things for the better? She had never been a particularly _motivated _person before, as everything came easily to her, and yet now, she was determined as all hell to keep the kid safe.

The redhead's teeth clenched. She'd never even had a second thought. She hadn't even thought about her family back home, or what a life she could've led if it turned out that she didn't want to return later on. Not a damn thought crossed her mind, until now.

'_Is this what they call an existential crisis?_' she wondered, displeased that her voice sounded slightly hysterical.

Her companion had no words for her. Charlie doubted any witty words would help, anyway.

She finished the walk home a bit more slumped than before, and didn't even knock on Naruto's door when she got there, merely passing it with a short glance. She kicked off her shoes in her own apartment, and beelined it for the shower, not allowing it to take more than around five minutes.

Then, she curled up on her bed, and cried herself to sleep. Thankfully, Minato hadn't been there for that.

* * *

The next few days, she did her best to push all of those thoughts away.

It was the weekend, which meant freetime for her and her little blond buddy. Saturday, Naruto had been extremely upset that she hadn't knocked down his door as she usually did when she returned home, but after a brief excuse that she hadn't been feeling well, all was forgiven. He showed her more places around Konoha, all his little secret hiding spots, more places and people that he'd pranked.

She gladly let him do all the talking, merely watching on with a semi-smile. Thankfully, none of the villagers took much notice of them, too busy with their weekend shopping to bother.

Naruto led her all the way to the top of the Hokage Monument, and she found it almost funny that they ended up on top of Minato's head. They sat there, and enjoyed a few apples that she'd managed to pack away before he'd dragged her out in the morning.

"You're quiet today," Naruto noted, glancing at her shyly. It sounded strange, something so observant coming from one so young. And Naruto, at that.

Charlie gave a wry smile to him. "Ah, I'm just thinking, Naru-chan, sorry." Well, she'd been trying not to, but the aching in her heart didn't tamp down just because she didn't want to listen to it.

He looked about as sad as she felt, and his blue eyes seemed even bigger than usual. "Are you sad?"

An interesting question. Part of her was, and another part was wondering why she was here in the first place. But she wouldn't be able to tell Naruto that. He didn't deserve to feel her pain, anyway. So she shook her head, giving him a wider smile as she said, "Nope, just distracted is all." Hadn't that been her resolve? To smile fakely until she could smile for real?

The following day saw her grocery shopping. Naruto had declined to join her on this particular excursion, though he had asked rather sweetly for some candy, and how could she decline?

It struck her as odd, how mundane it felt. Weighing tomatoes in the vegetable section, picking the appropriate potato chips, deciding what kind of macaroni she wanted to use in the pasta salad she'd make eventually. Odd, yet also comforting. She watched the people walking by, some holding hands with their children, others talking quietly amongst themselves over a particular loaf of bread. So very normal, as though the world around them couldn't possibly be any different.

Little did they know.

But for now, she allowed the normalcy to overcome her. She collected a few things, used up a sizable amount of her remaining money, and even managed to get Naruto a chocolate orange while she was at it. She climbed the stairs to their apartments with heavy feet, bags of groceries weighing down her arms, and remembered just a few weeks ago, when she'd done the same exact thing. Though at that point, she had been going to her dorm room, and she had been about two feet taller.

Anyway.

She knocked on her blond friend's door with her sandal, and listened with a small smile as there was a clattering on the other end. He always seemed to trip over everything on his way to the door.

He threw it open with a wide grin. "Charlie-chan! Did you get me candy?" he inquired immediately, bouncing on the balls of his feet. She really had to get the kid some sort of treadmill to run off all that energy.

"I did," she groaned, dropping the bags unceremoniously as her arms finally gave out. They were, believe it or not, even weaker than they had been when she'd started her training. Minato had attributed this to the muscles tearing and reforming, though she liked to tease that he was making her weaker instead.

Charlie dug through a few bags before procuring the chocolate orange, and tossing it his way. He caught it with surprising ease, and looked at it with a weird expression. "It says 'orange', though?"

She rolled her eyes, took it back, and tore the foil enough to pull out a slice. "It says 'chocolate' above that, dummy," she said, and shoved it in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed.

"Hey, that's pretty good!" He took it back from her, and pulled out another piece, handing it to her. "You have this one."

Her lips twitched up as she took a bite, letting the chocolate and orangey flavor melt over her tongue. She'd always loved getting these for Christmas, and it had been a surprise to see them sitting there on the shelf.

"Thanks, Charlie-chan," Naruto said, with his mouth full. "You're the best ever."

Charlie laughed, warm spreading in her chest. He looked unquestionably adorable, as he always had as a kid, with his hair strewn in all different directions and his bright eyes wide and clear. She felt like the tired older sibling to a little brother she'd never had, though she found that she didn't mind it. Little moments like this, ones of peace and okayness, things she took for granted before; she noticed how important they were, and how much the little boy before her truly deserved it.

Okay, so maybe she didn't know what she was doing here. Perhaps she _did _feel guilty about not missing home as much as she should've. And there were a thousand other questions and things she did not know and probably would never find out. But standing there, with her arms aching, watching ten-year-old Naruto eat a chocolate orange for the first time?

She couldn't say she regretted it.

* * *

**skye-speedy: Who knows? ;) Have any guesses? **

**time-twilight: That's quite true. I think Charlie would love to have someone who challenges her intellect, as there aren't many who could. Also, stay tuned on what Minato teaches her, I haven't decided. I think he's super powerful and it would be awesome for her to learn some from him, but I also want to make sure she's not going to be a carbon copy lol! Thank you for your review friend!**

**WolfRaposa: Thanks for your review! I've been attempting to write that part a bit ambiguously. You'll see later on, but I've viewed it as part of him is still in the Shinigami with the Yin half of Kurama. I hope the next two ish chapters will clarify it further!**

**MeiaAdey12: You're so kind, thank you! I think the same way. They have both become constants in a situation which seems bigger than them, so I do believe there is a bit of dependence there. **

**SkullMuffinGirl: I know, my poor bean is so out of her depth :( My author maliciousness, however, is winning out. Who do you think the big scary guy is? Is it Danzou... or someone worse! D: Thanks for your review and continued support! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I am weak so I post this five minutes later**

**anyways**

**Chapter 6**

Weeks passed slow and fast at the same time after that. The days seemed arduously long, and the precious nights passed in the blink of an eye. It was a tiring way to live life, though Charlie knew inside that many shinobi lived it every day. Hell, they put themselves through worse. Minato himself said he was going easy on her, and she still was having a hard time keeping her head up and her mind sharp. Even living a rougher life than she had in her past, she knew she was living rather cushy.

She still felt like she was making progress, though. She was learning more and more every day, and she had advanced a bit in Minato's training. In fact, she could now do twenty push ups when she felt on the verge of passing out, which was one hell of an improvement if you asked her. She still went home exhausted each day- Minato, even in his own words, overworked her- but this life she was living now, it wasn't a bad one. She made the most of each day, and she was proud she had been able to get so far in such a short time.

Charlie had made a promise to herself, one she intended to keep. She would look after Naruto, and she would do good by Minato. That promise was one she clung to. It was better than reflecting on her situation and whining about it. The beast of her being there was not one she could easily tackle, at least not yet; so why not work on what she could?

Hell, she'd even established a routine. Wake up at 5 AM, meditate for an hour and a half, make some food for her and Naruto. Charlie had given up hope of him ever making himself something that wasn't junk food, so she'd taken up meal prep- meet the kid at his house at seven, eat, go to school, get out at three, go to the training grounds, toil away until eight, and then it was back home to relax. Bed by 10.

There was something, though. Something she was missing, something she couldn't understand, and it was driving her crazy. Despite her best efforts, despite waking up every day (besides Sunday- apparently Minato did have a heart) to meditate, to reach out to whatever chakra she had lying dormant, she felt like she was hitting a brick wall.

It was... frustrating. Exceedingly so. So much so, in fact, that Charlie had scheduled an appointment at the hospital to see if she even had any in the first place.

Even Minato had grown increasingly concerned. He still put her through the ringer every morning, but he came across more thoughtful now, less sure. Like he was trying himself to figure it out alongside her. But even with both of the prodigies thinking it over, neither could come up with a solution.

So here she sat in the hospital room, biting her nails from the apprehension. Minato had gone somewhere else, probably to give her privacy in case it was some bad news. Secretly, she could've used his support. He was one of the only constants she had in this new life.

The medic nin came in after knocking twice on the door. It was the same one who had looked her over when she first got here, and he gave her a strange look as he caught a glimpse of her. "I didn't think you'd be back for a long while," he said, setting his clipboard on the side table and unwrapping his stethoscope from around his neck to set on the table. He wouldn't be neeeding it.

"Neither did I. But... I feel I might as well get this checked out, anyway," she said, kicking her heels against the bedframe.

The medic glanced at her chart as he approached. "You... think you don't have chakra?"

Charlie flushed. It sounded stupid when he said it. "Well, ever since I got here, I've been trying to train in ninjutsu. But I realized that everytime I try, I can't. And I figured either I'm doing something wrong, or there's nothing there in the first place."

"And you didn't think to tell me this on your first visit? I wouldn't have allowed you to join the Academy if I knew you had no chakra." The medic sounded pissed now. He pulled away from her a moment to give her a stern look.

Charlie leaned back a bit. "Well, where I came from, they... ah, they didn't really... I wasn't allowed to train. Let's say that." She didn't meet his eyes. Perhaps the Hokage had told him of her new backstory, or perhaps not, but either way, she'd stick to it.

To her relief, the medic merely set his jaw. "I'm going to run my chakra through your chakra system. Hold still." His fingers came to rest on both temples, and he closed his eyes in concentration.

She felt his chakra invade her body, cold and clinical. It felt like an invasion of privacy as it zinged through her, from her toes to the roots of her hair, and she clenched her teeth against the odd feeling. No bedside manners with this one, huh?

After about five minutes, he pulled away, but looked more confused than he had before. "Well, you have chakra, but it isn't yours," he said, and looked like he himself didn't understand what he was saying.

Charlie blinked at him. "Those are a bit mutually exclusive, don't you think?"

He shifted a bit on his feet. His eye flitted to the door, as if wishing he could be anywhere else. "I don't really understand it myself. You have two chakra systems. One is completely dead, not even a wisp. The other's chakra coils are completely developed and full to bursting. I- I'm going to go get my supervisor and-"

Her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, she got the sense that this was something no one should know, not even him. Before she knew what she was doing, her small hand gripped his wrist tightly, and she was sending him a look cold enough to freeze blood. "You will tell no one. I'm going to the Hokage." She stood and brushed past him, before looking back thoughtfully. "I'll be back."

And then she was on her feet, and she was running, running, running.

What the hell was going on?

Sarutobi Hiruzen was just about to enjoy a nice, warm cup of tea when he was rudely interrupted by a series of frantic knocks at his door. He frowned thoughtfully at the clock on the wall; it was eight at night. To his knowledge, he had no appointments scheduled.

The little redhead didn't even wait for him to say 'come in' before she was bursting through the door, chest heaving and a panicked look on her face. She gave him a meaningful tilt of the head, and he raised his hand, the silent signal for all of his ANBU protectors to vacate the room. One of them had the good sense to close the door as he shunshined away.

When he nodded at her, she straightened, and said, "I have two chakra systems. And I can't use either of them."

The Hokage stared at her. Was that even possible? She looked away, cheeks flaming. "I've been trying to access my chakra, if I had any, for this past few weeks. I wondered why, but I think I know the answer. Like I said, I have two chakra systems. One of them, which I'm presuming is mine since I'm not from here, is completely bare of chakra. The other is completely full of chakra, with well developed coils and..." She frowned, as if having an inward debate with herself. "I... think it's Minato's."

What.

What?

"What?" Sarutobi intoned, marching forward to stare at her. She'd never mentioned Minato before, why was she bringing him up now?

He had noticed the strange chakra the girl had given off, because how could he not. It was chakra that didn't fit her, the kind that had made him a bit more suspicious of her than he cared to admit. Perhaps the reason for that was, in the back of his head, he'd recognized it. But... it couldn't be. _Minato was dead_. He was dead.

The girl's face shone a brighter red than before. "Before I came here, I was in this... place. It was blank of everything, and everyone. It was just a space. I thought I had died, or something, but Minato was there. Somehow, I ended up... where he was. And then, a bit later, I woke up here, and Minato's voice has been in my head. He's been helping me train," Charlie confessed, and then bit her lip. "I... I don't know for sure. And I can't access it, anyway. But... the medic that examined me, he knows now that I have two. I told him I was coming to tell you, and to not tell anyone else, but that I would return."

Sarutobi sank down in his chair, running his hand over his mouth. This was bigger than he'd thought. _She _was a bigger issue than he thought. If anyone ever found out that she had Minato's chakra, or that she and he were linked in any way _at all_, she would be in grave danger.

But he had to make sure.

He leaned forward, looking the girl in the eye. "Minato-kun, if you're in there... tell me something this girl wouldn't know."

Charlie got a funny, faraway look on her face, before she looked back at him. "He says that there's not much he could tell you that I wouldn't know, but that we could try a mindwalk instead." She shuddered, holding her arms around her midsection. Obviously, she wasn't a fan of the idea.

Sarutobi cleared his throat, and stood finally. "Charlie-chan, go home for the night. I'll call on you in the morning. For now, Inoichi-kun and I will be paying your medic a visit."

Charlie bowed, and scuttled out of the room as fast as her little feet could take her.

The Hokage glanced at his tea with a look of remorse. It would be cold by the time he returned.

* * *

_'I should've just told him from the beginning that you were with me, Minato,_' Charlie thought despondently as she made her way home. Her friend had been oddly quiet since finding out about her chakra situation, which she assumed meant he was thinking hard about the situation.

"**What's done is done. He's going to go wipe that medic's memory, and then we'll be clear to do the mindwalk tomorrow,**" Minato replied absently.

'_I wonder how I have two systems. I wonder why I can't use one of them,_' that, indeed, was her main question. Inside, however, she felt she already knew the answer. There wasn't much reason for Minato's presence in her head other than that they were connected in some aspect. And given that she couldn't create chakra, which she was becoming more and more sure of... well, it had to be created by _someone_. Minato was the obvious choice.

Her comrade seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"**From the medic's tone earlier, he seemed surprised it was so developed for one so young. I can only assume that means it is my chakra you have, rather than your own. But how? My soul was consumed by the shinigami. With it, my chakra."**

_'Do you think somehow, when I appeared there, we were both in the Shinigami's... stomach? And when I left, that bright light, the energy I felt... and now, you're in my head... do you think somehow, parts of you merged with mine when I left?' _It was a far fetched theory, to be fair, but it was on her mind.

"**It doesn't sound impossible,**" Minato admitted. "**Things have felt a little off here after you've gone. I feel as though I'm torn between where I am, and where you are. But if this is fate's way of putting me back in my village, it's quite a way to do it.**"

'_Fate. I don't believe in fate._' Charlie kicked a stone in her path, and watched it ricochet off a trashcan further into the alleyway beside her. She couldn't believe in fate- all that she believed was that which she could see. She wasn't willing to accept anything else. And anyway, she had a sinking feeling something nefarious was happening. '_Something set this off, Minato. __And if we don't find out why we are the way we are soon..._' She blanched. '_I fear neither of us will be safe.'_

* * *

In the morning, Charlie was summoned to the Hokage's office by an ANBU. She dressed hurriedly, and scribbled a note about not feeling well for Naruto before rushing out of her apartment and sliding it under his door as she went. Poor Naru-chan would have to make his own breakfast today.

It was a little before seven in the morning, and Minato had thankfully neglected to wake her early. Probably less due to forgetfulness, and more because he had bigger fish to fry. Either way, she was glad she had the extra two hours as she rushed down the streets, bolting past pedestrians and ninja alike who all stared after her. Probably wondering just where a ten year old was running to at seven in the morning.

The little scientist inside her was brimming with excitement and fear at the prospect of _answers_.

Charlie reached the Hokage's office about twenty minutes after she was called there, and she knocked twice. There was a distant 'come in', and so she did, warily.

The Hokage was standing and talking calmly with a tall blond man as she entered. She could recognize Yamanaka Inoichi anywhere, simply by the blond ponytail alone. He cut an intimidating figure, at least 6'3" and built like a horse, but he gave her a disarming smile as she approached the two. His eyes held a great deal of curiosity, however, and maybe a twinge of confusion.

"Morning, Charlie-chan. This is Yamanaka Inoichi, though you already knew that. He's going to be doing the mindwalk today, and I will be tagging along, if that's alright," the Hokage said, gently guiding her to his chair to sit.

"I want to figure this out as much as you do," Charlie said, though it did make her nervous that they would see all of her memories. Would they be able to see the whole timeline? Or just what had happened since she'd arrived here?

"If you're ready, we can get started," Inoichi said. He knelt in front of her, and the Hokage took hold of his shoulder. "It will hurt if you block me out, so try to invite me in instead, okay?"

Charlie gulped and nodded. He raised his hands to her temples and his pale eyes locked with hers as he cast his jutsu. Suddenly, all she saw was blankness.

* * *

"So this is Charlie-chan's brain," Sarutobi mumbled as he looked around. They were, indeed, stationed next to her brain. He watched it beat with electric impulses, and raised his eyebrows. "This is quite the technique you have, Inoichi-kun," he added.

"You said she had someone else's presence in her brain?" Inoichi asked, looking around with a critical eye. It wouldn't surprise him if she had. He had been able to sense some weird chakra in the girl. Chakra that didn't really fit her, but that was so achingly familiar to him that he'd felt instinctual shock at seeing _her _walk in as opposed to someone else.

Truth be told, he felt a bit out of his depths. Nothing like this had ever happened before. The Hokage had briefed him about the girl, about how she was from a different world, and about how she knew every single thing about their own. Inoichi had no choice to believe that- his Hokage would never steer him wrong- but everything about the girl, especially her chakra, was _strange_.

"She claimed to- well, you'll see I suppose." Sarutobi didn't want to get the man's hopes up if the girl ended up being wrong. But Inoichi was becoming more and more sure that she hadn't lied at all.

Inoichi shrugged and moved towards a strange looking little door placed into the side of her brain. This really was a strange technique, at least to outsiders, but it worked wonders in intel gathering. "Let's start from the beginning," Inoichi said, and they both entered.

* * *

_She was sitting in class, hand on her chin, watching the teacher with bored eyes. It was a subject she knew all too well- geometry- and therefore wasn't interested in rehashing. She hated math, actually._

_Charlie shook her head to clear it, and glanced outside the window instead. It was a bright day out, and if she tried hard enough, she could barely make out the road beyond the trees. Cars bustled past, each one with some place to be, someone to see. Lucky, they were, that they weren't tied down in a classroom, learning things they'd already learned years ago and grown tired of._

_She was twelve years old._

* * *

_Charlie was at home. It was odd for her nowadays, to be at home and with her family. She had always had obligations, she supposed; projects to do, people to network with. It was tiring work, and she got very little for it- a necessary evil, perhaps._

_Now though, watching her mother messing around in the kitchen, her father in the laundry room hanging clothes- she wondered if it was worth it. She had known these people all her life, and they still felt like perfect strangers._

_Sure, her mother cooked food for her in the mornings. She told her hello, and goodbye, and goodnight. Her father helped her get her first car, and had taught her to ride her bike, and how to work her new computer. But she, herself, had never been a child to them. She had always been grown, perhaps a little arrogant, perhaps too independent. She'd never needed them, and in return, they didn't need her. Or at least, not in a way she understood._

_She wanted to feel close to them. But she had no right. _

_She stood, brushing off the seat of her jeans as she made her way for the stairs. She had no right to hang out with them like a normal family would._

_ And it was too late to start acting like their daughter._

* * *

_She was sitting in the radiologist's office, bored to tears. Her Converse squeaked on the linoleum as she swiveled back and forth in the chair she sat on. It wasn't really her fault; the man was boring as all hell, and so was his job._

_She figured the only reason someone got paid that much money to stare at x-rays all day was because they couldn't find any one else to do it. _

_The ceiling light flickered, and shone brightly in her eyes as she absently heard the man say, "-and then I coordinated with-" and then she was gone, gone, gone. _

_And then he was standing there, tall and blond like a sunflower, beaming at her, and asking her if she was okay, and no, she wasn't okay. She remembered him, she remembered everything about him, and everything he represented. And she wasn't supposed to be here._

_She was running, but there wasn't anywhere to run to, so she ran back to him instead and collapsed in his arms. Under an arrogant, smart-aleck exterior was a small, scared girl, who knew nothing of the world or how to handle it. _

_At least one of them had a handle on themselves._

* * *

Inoichi jerked out of her memories with a start, gasping for air as though he'd been underwater. The Hokage wasn't in much better shape. "_Yondaime?_ She's harboring Namikaze Minato?" the blond said, staring at his Hokage in shock. Somewhere in him, he had known that. He had recognized that chakra from the moment she walked into his perimeter. But still, _how_-

Sarutobi was about to say something, when he felt his attention drawn away from Inoichi and towards a bright light over the man's shoulder. "Inoichi-kun, there," he said.

Inoichi turned, and raised his eyebrows even further. _That _hadn't been there before, and it hadn't been present during any other mindwalks he'd done in the past.

The two walked towards the light, as it got brighter and brighter and brighter still. As if they had walked through the sun, the light dimmed to a pale yellow, and they were in a different headspace entirely.

Minato stood there, looking just as shocked as they were. He appeared the same as he had before, except everything was different now. They were alive and well, and up until recently, he had been very much dead. Perhaps he still was.

"I have to say, I had my doubts this would work," Minato said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"_Y-Yondaime Hokage-sama,_" Inoichi said, kneeling before he knew what he was doing.

Sarutobi was at a loss of what to do. Charlie had been right- they shared a conscience, perhaps even a soul. Both of them were in danger.

Namikaze Minato nodded, and smiled brightly at them. "I'm glad to see you two again!"

"Minato-kun, how did this happen?" Sarutobi implored. And so, Minato told them- to the best of his knowledge- how she'd gotten there, and how she'd left.

"I have a few theories as to what's happened. The most prominent is one that Charlie-chan and I share. When she left the Shinigami's stomach, she took a part of me with her. We are two souls in one body, wherein I am the voice in her head and she is the physical manifestation," Minato finished. He had that serious, pensive look on his face that Sarutobi had grown accustomed to back when the man was alive. There could be little doubt- he was the real deal.

"That does explain why her mind seems to be split. But it doesn't explain how she got there in the first place, or how she left. I can't assume this all happened by chance," Sarutobi said thoughtfully.

"Charlie-chan thinks someone did this," Minato said quietly. "I'm not sure myself. But either way, if anyone finds out, or if she somehow gets killed... I don't know where either of our souls will go. Charlie-chan isn't meant to be here, and neither am I. I... would like to grant her access to my chakra. I'm assuming it _is _mine, since the second chakra system is empty. She needs a way to protect herself."

So that neither of them ended up perishing.

* * *

When Charlie awoke, a bottle of water was being shoved in her face.

She found herself groaning and reaching for it. Her head was absolutely splitting, so much so that she felt like she would throw up.

"Trash can's to your right," Inoichi's voice said from above her, and then she was reaching for it and emptying her stomach. The bottle of water rolled loosely from her lap to the floor. "Sorry, I forgot to mention it earlier. This jutsu can be harsh on younger bodies. I'm used to doing it on adults."

Charlie gave him a critical look, but waved her hand. She didn't know how long she'd been out, but given the new looks he was giving her, she assumed he'd found what he was looking for.

"Did you talk to Minato?" she asked finally, once she'd stopped heaving. She pulled away from the can with a disgusted face, surreptitiously wiping her mouth on her sleeve. Gross.

"We have," Sarutobi said, from somewhere over her shoulder. She looked over at him, hazel eyes quickly analyzing his expression. There was something akin to respect or intrigue settled on his face. "He seems to be of the opinion that you both share this body in some ways. And I think both Inoichi-kun and I can confirm that that chakra in you is his, as well."

Charlie nodded. She'd already suspected as much.

"He expresses an interest in allowing you to access his chakra, so as to protect both yourself and him. He still doesn't know what will happen if you happen to die while you two are still connected."

Charlie was flattered, a bit, that he would allow her that. However... "I still don't understand how his chakra manifested itself when he doesn't have his true body to generate it. Perhaps chakra itself is more closely linked to the soul than I'd previously thought." She bit her thumb thoughtfully. "If so, would we then be able to put Minato's soul back _in_ his body, if we were able to regenerate it?"

Sarutobi blinked at her. He'd forgotten, somehow, that she had been a genius in her past life, and was apt for coming up with the tough questions. "Well, all _that _can be answered later. Right now, we need to figure out how you can access that chakra. And one way to do that is..."

"By examining others who do the same thing," Charlie finished, meeting his gaze with a wide one of her own. "You don't mean to bring Naruto into this."

Her voice said that she would not allow it, and truly, she wouldn't. Naruto was not a test subject, and she didn't need him knowing that she and his dad were sharing one body.

"No. Not now, at least. But you need to think hard about what you've seen when you... watched it. I'm assuming he _does _use the Kyuubi eventually, correct?"

Charlie nodded mutely.

"How did he do that? Think hard, now," Sarutobi said.

She gave him an offended look. "I don't need to _think hard_. I remember everything. Anyway, he was pretty rocky at the beginning. It was more like Kurama tried to get him to use his chakra during his low points, so he could take him over and get free again."

The Hokage was sweating nervously.

"Ah- but he got everything figured out!" she added, "Not too much destruction! And they eventually ironed out their differences!"

That didn't seem to help matters much, but Sarutobi sighed anyway. "So the Kyuubi itself pushed Naruto to use its chakra. That's... interesting."

"And eventually, a ways down the line, they were able to merge their power. He becomes more power than if he was working alone, or if Kurama took over. But anyway, that's not really applicable here. I'm sure that there are some differences between my situation and a jinchuuriki's."

"It's a starting point."

Charlie nodded in agreement, and finally found her sea legs as she stood from the chair. The forgotten water was picked up, and chugged to relieve the gross taste in her mouth. "So what you're saying is, try to get Minato himself to use the chakra somehow? Or force it to me? That sounds dangerous."

"It could be," Sarutobi acquiesced. "However, you will be in danger anyway should you deign to not try."

Well. She couldn't argue with that.

Charlie left the Hokage's office not long after, with a new sense of dread and a new sense of fear. Something told her that this was the start of a very, very long day.

* * *

She didn't go to school after that.

And she didn't go to the training grounds.

Instead, she went directly to the weapons place, the same one she'd visited weeks ago when she'd first arrived. Minato was unusually quiet on the trek, but he spoke up as she entered. "**What are you picking up?**" he asked curiously. Charlie gave a quick, polite smile to the cashier, who once again gave her a curious look as she entered.

The store was, thankfully, rather dead at the moment. She found it calming- after the treacherous morning she'd just had, she needed time to get over her headache and the feeling of invasion that came after Inoichi's jutsu.

'_I saw chakra paper here. I figured this is one way to get started,_' she thought, and followed her mental map to the rack in the far back of the store. The chakra paper was sold individually, but she picked up a stack of about ten sheets, and made her way to the front. She was worried she would somehow destroy them trying to work with Minato's chakra- if it was even possible- and anyway, Naruto could try a sheet, too.

She wanted him to at least know what his chakra was about before he joined Team Seven, after all.

The cashier gave her another weird look as she set the papers, and nothing else, on the table in front of him.

"My friends and I are testing out our chakra," she explained to his unasked question, and he shrugged it off with a smile.

She left the store with the paper and a woefully empty wallet.

"Why was that paper so expensive?" she aked morosely, slumping a little. No more money for the month.

"**Because normal people only need one, there isn't much demand**," Minato replied.

'_Oh, thanks for reminding me that I'm weird, Minty Toe,_' she thought back savagely, then laughed at his outrage.

Charlie returned home at around 11. Her stomach was rumbling, but she was much too hyped up about what she'd learned to bother with it. She wanted to begin work immediately, and she could feel Minato's urgency as well. So, she shucked off her shoes, and scooted her coffee table to the corner of the living room- a process that had become all but second nature to her the past few weeks. Seating herself cross legged on the floor, she took out a sheet of the paper, holding it tight.

"I... have no idea how to do this," she said out loud, sweatdropping. How was she supposed to reach for a power she couldn't even sense?

"**Maybe I could try moving it first?**" Minato suggested. "**It's... strange, but I think I can still feel my chakra slightly, if I try.**"

'_Go for it, I guess,_' Charlie said.

Without much for warning, she felt his increase in presence in her mind. His aura was suddenly everywhere, and she had the absurd feeling that she herself was being pushed out. Anxiety caused her heart to pump faster, and she knew that if he had been almost anyone else, she would have fought him back into his place.

Instead, she nervously gave her position up, allowing him to take charge. She felt her presence of mind slip away, and she was suddenly immensely, immeasurably small in comparison. Did he feel like this all the time? It was... horrible.

Charlie felt like a bird with no room to stretch her wings. She had been his jailer, and she hadn't even known it.

The paper in her hand wasn't moving, but Minato's presence was growing stronger, and stronger still. Her vision warped, as though she'd been dunked underwater.

She tried to say his name, but her mouth wouldn't move, so instead she thought it. '_Minato, something's weird._' The whole situation was weird.

"What's wrong?" he asked, but it wasn't in his voice and hadn't come out of his mouth; it had come out of hers.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello! Welcome to this new chapter. I hope this explains more the Kyuubi issue some have brought up. **

**Pairing tally:**

**ShikaxOC:8**

**ObitoxOC: 3**

**MinaxOC: 3**

**SasuxOC: 2**

**NaruxOC: 1**

**GaaxOC: 1**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 7**

The Hokage propped his chin on his fist, taking a deep, settling breath.

"Minato-kun, how did _this _happen?"

The blue-eyed girl looked completely lost, though she opened her mouth anyway. "We were... trying an exercise with chakra paper," she... he? recounted. There was sheepishness in the way she shifted on her feet, though the predominant emotion was worry.

* * *

_"What's wrong?" Minato said. His eyes widened; that wasn't his voice._

_Charlie was shouting in his head, her panic rising as Minato looked around in wonder._

_It had been so long since he was in the world, at least in this capacity. He could feel his fingers, the cool wood underneath him. He could turn his head, look around at a landscape that had grown alien to him in his captivity._

_Awe overtook him, before the panic set in._

_A deep feeling of displacement case upon him, a wave of 'I'm not supposed to be here' that knocked him onto his- her?- back. The natural world was rejecting him conclusively. His newfound freedom was not worth this incredible discomfort._

_Minato was dead, and he should've stayed that way. And what right did he have to abduct this girl's body for his own, when he had been so incredibly lucky to occupy a space in her mind in the first place? _

_"Charlie," he said, "Charlie, try to come back." He closed his eyes, focusing on reeling in the power that had always lied in him. It was stretching now, and it would not be crammed back in so easily._

_Her presence was strange in his head. Her aura felt warm, like the sun beaming on your face, and yet it was warped in her fear. She seemed to strengthen somehow, her influence touching every corner of their shared brain, and yet, there he stayed._

_"Minato," she said. Her voice still shook, but there was a bit of determination in it as well. "Get to the Hokage. He may be able to help."_

_Something occurred in his mind, then. He had always been a bit of a scientist when it came to these sorts of things, things he didn't understand. There was a wealth of opportunity here, and he understood it as well as she did._

_He felt for the chakra in her system, the chakra of not-so-suspicious origins. It greeted him like an old friend, and wondered at why he hadn't used it sooner. He had generated enough to be full-to-bursting during his time in her head._

_With a wistful smile, he pulled it into his grasps again, and shunshined._

* * *

Flying into the Hokage's office wall, Minato knew he had overshot himself. Her body was not only smaller than his had been, but he was sure he was pretty damn rusty. It had been a long time, as well, since he'd felt the cool fingers of his chakra, thin and breezy as though he was flying through the atmosphere. It had been far too long.

There was a small dent where her body had slammed into plaster, and he rubbed his nose as he peeled himself off the floor. He could feel the raised chakra of the invisible ANBU guards in the office, but he watched as the Hokage raised his hand to send them off.

Minato had the good sense to suppress his chakra, the noticeable signature gone in an instant. It wouldn't do to have the ANBU poking around.

Which brings us to the present.

"So you both tried a bit of an experiment, huh?" Sarutobi Hiruzen said, not looking as concerned as he should've been. Just a bit tired.

Minato frowned, hearing Charlie's wicked protests in his mind. It was so strange, to be in her position. Did she always feel this way whenever _he _talked? "Truly, we just wanted to access my chakra."

"And so you have." The Hokage gestured to the wall Minato had run into.

"This was not the way we'd intended. We'd like to switch back." Was he not understanding their predicament? Didn't he care that Minato _wasn't meant to be here?_ Or at least in _this _capacity?

His predecessor stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps you _must_ be in control to access your chakra," he voiced aloud. Minato's heart skipped a few beats. He had considered that almost immediately after he'd taken control from her. But it was quite a different thing to hear it coming from someone else.

Charlie went silent in his head, though he could feel her horror. He couldn't blame her. Was this going to be their situation forever? Fighting for control over her own body? He was a parasite; a leech that sucked her time and lifeblood from her. And the worst part was, she didn't seem to notice. She had never blamed him, but perhaps he had a right to blame himself.

Minato found himself giving a strained smile. "I'm not going to overtake this young girl's life more than I have, Hokage-sama."

**"Minato, stop."** He stiffened. Charlie's tone had changed, the fear submitting to the determination he'd heard before. She sounded more stony than she had before. **"Stop talking about yourself like that." **Charlie's voice seemed to rattle, as if she'd taken an unsteady breath. **"Please don't apologize for something we can't help."**

He grit his teeth, tightening his- _HER_\- tiny fists. '_You don't deserve to be cooped up in there, Charlie-chan. You know it as well as I_ _do_.' Of the two of them, he was sure his sins were more plentiful than a child who knew nothing of the darkness the world contained.

**"_And you think you do? _You think I haven't been beating myself up about what I've done to you? Weren't you at peace?" **Her voice broke off into a sob. His features- _her features-_ turned blank, an instinct he had developed during the Third War. Hide your pain, and persevere.

Charlie had never learned that. If he had his way, she never would. Though things seldom went according to plan.

"I'm sure she's quite upset," Hiruzen said. Minato's bright eyes landed back on the man, and he realized late that he'd forgotten where he was.

Minato nodded silently.

"Well, Minato-kun. What do you presume to do, then, if you won't remain in control? How will you go back?"

"I was hoping you would be able to assist in that. I've tried returning already, but it's something akin to fitting an elephant through a water hose." Impossible, he meant. Impossible.

But he would make it so.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed, drawing himself upright. "I'll call Inoichi-kun."

* * *

Yamanaka Inoichi was trimming the thorns from a rose when they called on him.

He had a gut feeling it was _that girl _again. He didn't know why; his brain immediately wondered, however, what she could possibly need now. He was already reeling, to tell the truth; how was he supposed to keep a secret such as this? A person from a separate universe, he could keep- but for some reason, the idea of keeping the existence of the Yondaime a secret was almost too much to bear.

So, he traveled to the Hokage's office a bit slower than he would normally. His thoughts were consumed. He didn't know if he was ecstatic for or afraid of the situation at hand. He didn't know how he would handle it, should he need to come in contact with Namikaze Minato once more- he already felt embarrassed by his previous behavior as it was.

Inoichi's suspicions were confirmed as he stepped through the threshold of the office. The girl stood there, back to him. He could not sense Minato's chakra signature anymore, but that didn't mean it wasn't there.

She turned with a tight smile, and his eyebrows shot up to his hitai-ate. Blue eyes. Hadn't she had hazel?

"I'm glad you could make it. I apologize for calling you here so soon, but we have a new problem that might require your assistance," the girl said. Her eyes- _blue_\- were sharper than they had been before, aged somehow. Even the way she held herself, tall and confident, as though she were as strong as any man.

The man grit his teeth, nodding. "I can see that, Lord Fourth." He bowed slightly, and scratched the back of his neck. "Where did our little comrade go?"

Minato swallowed and looked away, abashed. "She's still here, but she can't come back out. We swapped places trying to use my chakra." Her- his?- mouth quirked into a wry smile. "Which I can do now. But we have been unable to switch back."

It had been a reckless idea from the start, Inoichi acknowledged, for them to try to use Minato's chakra. Not only was it something that, to his knowledge, had no precedence (he didn't know of any other dimension-hopping kage vessels), but Minato's presence was large, and his chakra strong. The girl just wasn't strong enough to compete, though no one could exactly blame that on her.

The Yamanaka would have his work cut out for him. How did one contain chakra as bountiful as a kage's? How did one force him back into the cage that held him? And more importantly, would it break her completely if he even attempted it?

The Third Hokage stood from his seat, removing his hat from his head as he said, "I've got an idea."

Thank God, Inoichi thought. Because for once, he truly did not.

* * *

When she was little, Charlie had had a pet goldfish. It was an oranda, with a funny looking tail and a funny gait to match. She would watch it for hours back in those days, until her back ached and her feet cramped from crouching down for that long. Her mother had thought it funny, that such a girl was so mesmerized by a simple creature such as that.

It was a beautiful fish, and was aptly named Beauty. But she didn't watch it for that. Even then, little Charlie was thinking, analyzing, wondering. It had been a simpler time when she had simpler answers, but she still found it in herself to think ceaselessly. She thought about its mind, about how it saw her. She thought about whether or not it thought at all. She wondered what it would be like, to live a life so simple, and concluded that it must've been terribly boring.

And Charlie thought about Beauty now, whilst trapped in her own mind. She wondered if this was what Beauty had felt like, trapped in that little fish bowl, swimming endless circles. She wondered if she would always be the goldfish in the bowl, trapped and remaining so until her death. Was she swimming just to swim, or did she have some sort of purpose?

Beauty had lived only a few short years, and Charlie grew up. She lost her childish wonder, or at the very least cast it into a dark and cobwebbed part of herself that she never willingly visited. Wondering was for children, and so was staring at goldfish. But she never lost that thought, the thought of being a simple creature and how painful it must be to have others think so lowly of you. How privileged she had been, to have been seen and heard and listened to. And how very tragic it had been for that goldfish, trapped in that place, fate sealed before it had known anything of the world.

Now, though, Charlie _was _the goldfish, and she wished desperately for someone to see her. Losing her physical body, turning into nothing but consciousness, it was terrifying. She felt as if no one aside from Minato would ever hear or speak to her again, despite knowing the absurdity of that thought.

Charlie was still crying, though of course her face did not move. Her anguish went unheard by absolutely everyone besides her comrade. For his part, Minato had quite the reign over his emotions and how he displayed them- though she could tell he could feel just as deeply as she. He worried, just as she did. He was just strong enough to not show it.

The Hokage's plan was a simple one, if she were to think of it objectively. Much like a jinchuuriki's ward was sealed into their stomach, he suggested somehow sealing Minato into her head- where he would be there, still present, and his chakra would continue to be produced, yet he would be unable to take control of her body again unless he was somehow able to push through the seal. Not that he would even try.

Indeed, Minato was gung ho for the idea. He seemed to have no interest in retaining control of her body, and didn't seem to mind being jammed back into place. It bothered her, though, much more than it did him. She didn't like the idea of sealing him away, even if she didn't like him being in the driver's seat either. His self-sacrificing demeanor only served to make her feel selfish and upset.

It would take time, however, to develop the seal. Minato would have to work closely with the Hokage himself to modify the eight trigram seal. As bountiful as his chakra and as immense as his presence was, he wasn't really comparable to a tailed beast, and should they use something as strong as _that _seal, it could lock the man away completely. That was coupled with the fact that Minato was sure he was split between his body in the Shinigami's stomach, and his soul and chakra in Charlie.

Inoichi would have to be present in her mind at the time of the sealing, it was decided, so as to make sure everything went according to plan. With his jutsu, he could thankfully observe the process from the inside, and stop them if Minato's soul or chakra seemed to be taking a hit.

Plus, there was the problem of the Kyuubi. Minato imagined the beast was alive and well inside his body back in the Shinigami, and he didn't fancy somehow releasing it by some mistake with the seal. All of that cumulated together, and Charlie would have to wait a while to regain control.

Charlie knew all of this, and she did her level best to stiffen her upper lip. '_It can't be helped_,' she told herself, despite hoping that it could've. She didn't want to jail Minato more than she had. She didn't want to use up his chakra, or _use_ him in general. She wanted her body back. Hell, she wanted her old life back.

But the fish in the bowl kept swimming, and swimming, and said nothing at all. She was, for the billionth time in this universe, completely out of her depth. Nothing she could say or do would make any difference at all.

Inoichi left the office after their meeting, though Minato was instructed to stay. He didn't quite know why, but he obeyed, and conversed with the Hokage for a bit. A lot had changed since he'd been around, after all. To his surprise, Inoichi returned about twenty minutes later with a plainly wrapped box in his hand.

He handed it to him with a grim smile. "They're colored contacts," the man explained.

Minato frowned a moment before it dawned on him. '_That must've been how he recognized me,_' he realized, and opened the box. He hadn't had a chance to glance in the mirror. He supposed it would be rather bad if she abruptly changed eye colors; others might not've noticed, but Naruto definitely would.

With that in mind, he plucked them from their watery holdings and painstakingly arranged them over his own deep blue. It would hopefully mask it enough to leave little question.

"Thank you," Minato said, and bowed his head, first to the Hokage and second to Inoichi. Sarutobi Hiruzen took it with a small nod of his own.

However, the Yamanaka flushed and waved his hands erratically. "D-don't bow to me, Hokage-sama!"

Minato smiled slightly. "You have been a great help, Yamanaka-san. Please allow me this."

Inoichi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a good natured smile. "I will continue to serve you faithfully, Yondaime Hokage-sama."

And so they parted. Minato headed back home, as school was already out for the day. He suspected Naruto would be home already, banging down Charlie's door with questions. He blanched a little, stalking his steps. He hadn't thought of it before, but in the time between now and when the seal was completed, he would have to act as his son's friend rather than his father.

He would not be able to tell him all the things he wished he could've, and he would not be able to hold him the way he wished either. It sent a stab of pain through his heart, though he knew he should be grateful to have the opportunity in the first place.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Minato forced his legs to move again, putting his hands in his pockets as a mark of casualness. His eyes- hazel, now- glanced thoughtfully around the village he called home. It brought a stroke of pride within him that the people seemed happy, and the village seemed to be thriving. There were more stores and vendors on the streets, more children, and more hope. Despite everything that the war had put them through, Konoha had sprung back like a forest after a fire, verdant leaves covering the burns and sturdy trees rising from the ashes.

Minato focused on that as he rounded the corner onto the street of Charlie's apartment complex. It is easier to be strong when you focus on the better things in your life.

Predictably, as he climbed the stairs, he could hear Naruto's incessant knocking. He grinned slightly in anticipation.

"Charlie-chaaaan! Are you home?!" his son called, not pausing his knocks.

"I am now," Minato said, approaching from behind Naruto and laughing as the kid whirled on him in shock. Before he knew what he was doing, Minato swooped in, pulling him into his arms and squeezing tightly. He fought hard to not choke up as he leaned his chin into the boy's hair.

Naruto made a small noise of confusion and pulled back, face flushed in embarrassment. "Charlie-chan, why'd you do that?" he whined, blue eyes watching her face go through a series of emotions he couldn't recognize.

"I'm just glad to see you, is all, Naruto." Minato gave a close-eyed smile. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

His son rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and shrugged. "S'ok. Anyway, are you feeling better yet?"

Minato blew out a steady breath. "Yeah, I just went to the hospital. They fixed me right up!"

"Yes! Does that mean you can hang out? Huh?" Naruto bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly, and Minato chuckled. What a robust child he had.

Minato put a finger to his chin. Charlie hadn't trained yesterday, and that wouldn't do. He would fail as a teacher. And as a bonus, he had always dreamed of being able to teach Naruto a thing or two. The world was tough for a jinchuuriki, and he deserved to have the best fighting chance he could give. So, with an excited grin, he said, "Do you wanna go train? I know this really cool place where nobody ever bugs you!"

Naruto's head cocked to the side. "Train? You do that for fun?"

Oh, yes. This would be fun.

* * *

Training grounds 8 was, predictably, barren of people. Though the sun was high in the sky and the weather pleasant, nobody had bothered to venture to the outer ring of the village where the place lied. "How'd you find this place?" Naruto asked, hands behind his head and jacket open due to the heat of the day. His bright blue eyes, the same shade as his own yet so achingly close to Kushina's as well, took in the space with curiosity.

"I was just wandering around," Minato fibbed, leading his son to the center of the clearing. "Stretches first!" he continued, reaching one arm behind his head.

Naruto stared blatantly. "Ano... what stretches? And why?"

Minato chuckled, glancing at him with a keen eye. "Because you'll pull something if you don't. Now, do what I do!"

And so it went. His son was remarkably clumsy, to his chagrin, though he seemed to pick everything up rather quickly. Minato could tell the boy had never gone training before, and it was a crying shame that he hadn't thought to bring him sooner. That was fine, though: he would rectify the matter.

Charlie was trying to dissuade him from going too harshly on the boy, but Minato wouldn't dare. '_In fact,_' he thought, a malicious smile curving his lips and frightening his companion, '_I'll go even harsher._' He could imagine the redhead throwing her hands up in disgust at him and storming away, and laughed aloud.

Naruto blinked innocently at him as their stretches came to a close. '_I'll show him how to train, all right.'_

First, they had a simple sparring match. Naruto was physically stronger than Charlie, given that she was a bit willowy and his son was the sturdy sort, but he lost conclusively. Minato found it a challenge to go through the taijutsu he'd long since forgone, but Naruto hadn't ever practiced it at all. So, after a magnificent defeat, the blond laid prone in the dirt, breathing hard and giving him a harsh glare. "How'd you learn to fight like that?" he got out between breaths.

Minato smiled. "It's something I picked up from where I was before. Want to learn?" In truth, it was a combination of taijutsu styles Minato had pulled together himself, enough to where each style was indistinguishable from the other. Only the best of each, of course.

Naruto nodded furiously and sat up, groaning as his new aches twinged. "You're fast, Charlie-chan," he mumbled.

"**Slow down! Didn't we say I was supposed to be _normal!_**" Charlie yelled in his head. "**I lost against that other kid, I couldn't even get a good punch in ya know!**"

Minato's lips quirked. '_You're just mad you're not as cool,_' he teased, and taught Naruto the starting position. Hands by the face, feet shoulder's width apart, and knees bent in preparation.

"Your hands are here because they can protect your head and throat, your feet are wide set so that you won't fall if you're hit, and your knees are bent to move in whichever direction your opponent moves in. Okay?" Minato explained, adjusting the boy's position. '_Charlie-chan, you pay attention to this too. It will help you later.'_ The girl said nothing.

"Moving from that, let's go into katas," Minato continued. At the kid's lost look, he smiled wryly. "It's particular movements you practice repetitively so you can use them by muscle memory later. There are eight basic katas for this style*. Get into your start position, this time with your fists palm-up and close to your ribs." Naruto did, still with an air of confusion. "And now stretch your arm out in front, straight now, good. You twist your fist until it is palm-down by the time your arm is fully extended. Now back to start. Good, you've learned number one."

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "...Really? I mean, that's just a punch," he mumbled dubiously.

Minato grinned. "Ah, but it teaches the proper _form _for a punch. And now, number two." He demonstrated punching upwards. "Make sure your elbow is bent correctly. You want a 90 degree angle." Naruto imitated. "Good. Now, number three is the same as number one, except it isn't a fist, but a flat palm with the fingers curled inwards. Like a bear paw. Your palm should face your opponent."

Four was a front kick. Five was a side kick. Six was a sort of push. Seven was a ducking motion, with one arm over the head. And eight was a block, with both arms in an 'X' position.

Minato demonstrated all of these, waiting patiently for Naruto to memorize them. "By the time today is through, you should commit all of these to memory, and practice them when you have spare time. Eventually, you will be able to do them automatically. There are more kata that come after these, but these will do for now."

"More...?" Naruto's eyes swirled. "How come you have to remember so much!"

Charlie was laughing in his head as Minato gave his son a gentle smile. "Well, because I want to be able to protect my precious people as best I can. Don't you?"

Naruto gave a begrudging nod.

"Good!" He clapped his hands together. "All right. Now, let's do some more exercise, yeah?"

Naruto's training session lasted a total of three hours. By the end of it, Minato, weak as his body felt after exercising alongside him, had to sling him over his back to carry the poor kid home. "Thanks for showing me that, Charlie-chan," Naruto mumbled, leaning against Minato's shoulder with a sigh of exhaustion.

"Anytime, bud," Minato said, smiling as he noticed the sun begin to set. It was his first sunset in Konoha since that fateful day, and he relished it, pausing in the middle of the street to stare at its glory. '_And so, the sun sets on a day of change,_' he thought. '_Whatever may come tomorrow, at least these will never change.'_

In his head, Charlie concurred.

* * *

***These kata are similar to the ones taught to me personally by my jiu-jitsu teacher. I say similar, because I haven't had a class in years and I was a horrible student.**

**Guest: No, anybody is up for the poll! And I know, I miss Shisui. He was a good guy :( I wish him and Itachi could've been protected from the whole world. Screw Danzou.**

**Haven: Thank you! Anybody willing to vote is more than welcome.**

**Pat123: Now! Lol, I can't wait to build them both up a little bit before the main storyline. I think it would bring me a sick sense of satisfaction for enemies to underestimate them, and get KO'd for it haha. Thanks!**

**GinHanelle: You're not wrong haha! I'm kind of glad you see it this way, I wanted to write Charlie as an independent sort of character who is fine on her own and yet only intensified in the presence of others. A person who blooms where they're planted, so to speak. I won't be writing the pairing in for a long time, but when I do, I'll do my level best to make it _not _awkward lmao. I can only imagine poor Minato cowering in the corner. Thanks for your review!**

**Nerdcat21: I know, I feel like I might cry trying to write a NejixOC pairing. I feel like she'd torture herself over trying to keep him safe, though I'm sure she'll be doing that anyway regardless. Thank you!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I would like to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. Everything at school compounded in the last few weeks, so I've found it hard to do just about anything else. I'm still floundering, but I've finally found the time to eek out this chapter. Pairings are:**

**ShikaxOC: 8**  
**SasuxOC: 1**  
**ObixOC: 3**  
**MinaxOC: 8**  
**NejixOC: 1**  
**NaruxOC: 3**  
**GaaxOC: 1**  
**InoxOC: 1**  
**KarinxOC: 1**  
**NobodyxOC: 1**

**I'll give a caveat here: you can vote for more than one person, but your vote only counts once. So if you say this person OR this person, I'll give you a vote for each. If you vote multiple times for the same person, I'll only give one vote to that person. I hope this is okay, I don't want to give any pairing an unfair advantage.**

**But anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter (sorry if you don't. It took me ten years to finish it .-.); responses at the bottom!**

**Chapter 8**

Minato felt eyes on him.

It was not a wholly unfamiliar feeling. He had garnered many a stare during his time as Hokage. However, those stares had been in awe, and he hadn't minded much.

_This _stare singed holes in his back as he strolled to the Academy. The morning dew was heavy in the air, and the scent of freshly baking bread wafted last his nose. At any other time, he would feel at peace.

Not now. His shinobi senses were sparking left and right. He had maintained his chakra suppression ever since he'd gotten use of it, and he was quite sure it wouldn't feel completely the same to others anyway. Just in case, he had even remained awake the entire night, pouring over scrolls he had taken from the Hokage's library the day before.

And yet, it seemed he had piqued Danzou's curiosity. He supposed it was only natural- Charlie had called many covert meetings with the Hokage, and none of the civilian council had been talked to before she was admitted into the village.

He had to have questions.

_That _made a small, satisfied smile curl his lips as he slung an arm boldly around Naruto, who was walking alongside him. After Charlie had explained everything about his involvement in the Uchiha massacre, Minato had grown to dislike the man. He had been a bit of an obstacle, a bit of a creep, in Minato's time, but knowing what he was capable of and what he had done had warped his perception in Minato's mind.

Minato could understand wanting to protect the village. But he couldn't understand killing off an entire clan to do so, nor would he abide by it.

The Fourth Hokage was a patient man, mild-mannered and kind. No one would have suspected him to have a cold streak, but then again, no one in Konoha had brought it out until now. No, the truth was, while Minato seldom got angry, and _never _let his emotions get the better of him, his righteous anger was deeper and more forceful than any other's. And should he become angry, he was most likely the most dangerous man alive.

So it gave him great pleasure in giving the man little to work with.

**"You're going to piss him off, Minato,"** Charlie admonished mildly.

'_His hands are tied, even if he is angry. Trust me, Charlie-chan._' And upon saying so, Minato suddenly broke out into a sprint, calling out, "I'll race you there!"

Naruto shouted his disapproval at being left in the dust, and shot off after him.

* * *

The ANBU Root said nothing as he paused in his steps. He had little desire to chase after the girl, and Danzou had told him not to draw attention to himself.

He would never voice his thoughts, given that he wasn't meant to have many in the first place, but... he wondered about that girl. He understood his leader's preoccupation with her, and despite her spectacular acting, there was an undercurrent of something darker in her. Something shrewd and omniscient. Something knowing.

She had been awake all night. She had been reading something, though peskily, it hadn't been visible from the window he'd crouched behind. She had either been constantly suppressing her chakra since entering the village, or she hadn't had any to begin with- and either was strange. She was ten years old, and yet she trained as though she knew what she was doing, as though someone had taught her. All things told, she was a conundrum that he was fairly certain didn't belong in the village.

Danzou didn't believe the little story that the Hokage had fed him, and her actions didn't exactly clarify matters.

Face a mask of indifference, he disappeared once again, intent on returning his findings to Danzou. He had been trusted with an important mission, one that was vital in protecting his village.

He would not fail.

He would find the dark part of that child, and when he did, he would crush her throat and feel nothing.

* * *

The Yondaime Hokage sat patiently in his chair, watching Kuboyashi Jin point out rivers on a map. It was all things he knew before, of course, but he had to keep up appearances, didn't he?

His son, on the other hand, was having a hard time keeping still. From what he'd seen, the kid had always been remarkably energetic- a product of his extensive chakra reserves, and as a kage in a child's body, Minato could relate. His chakra felt like pressure aching to burst from him, a blue current of electric energy that would not let him be.

But that didn't mean he could go easy on him.

With an inward grin, he subtly kicked Naruto's leg under the table. The boy had started boredly rocking back and forth in his seat, but he halted and stared bug-eyed at him after. "Charlie-chan-" he whisper-whined.

"Pay attention," Minato and Kuboyashi said at the same time. Minato found a small blush rising on his cheeks and jerked round sheepishly.

To his surprise, Kuboyashi had a glint of humor in his eye as he turned back around, as though nothing had happened. **"Oh, maybe he _does _have a soul? Could it be?" **

Minato sweatdropped at her jab. '_Charlie-chan-" _he admonished. She had grown to have quite the attitude since relinquishing control to him. He had come to notice, however, that she became negative and unpredictable only when faced with a situation she could not change or easily find the answer to. A bit of a childish streak she had not yet surpassed.

Then again, facing hard situations was, from what he'd gathered, something she hadn't had to do very often. It was only natural that she would be unused to such a difficulty.

Kuboyashi finished his lecture on the geography of the Land of Fire shortly after, and called lunch. Minato stretched and yawned, glancing to his side to see Naruto rubbing his eyes of sleep.

He sighed a little. "Naruto, you're going to need this eventually..."

The blond shrugged petulantly, glancing longingly out the window. Minato got to his feet, and watched with amusement as Naruto took the initiative to dash out of the classroom. Through the window.

Laughing a little, Minato followed at a more sedated pace, following the little blond head towards their usual lunch spot. The weather had turned out relatively pleasant, as it often was, and Minato relished the clean scent of trees in the air as he sat cross-legged across from his son. The boy had, miraculously, already managed to dig into his bento before Minato had even reached him.

Minato watched him eat with raised eyebrows. "One would think I starved you," he mumbled in awe, taking his own bento from his pack. He had prepared a simple rice with red bean paste, coupled with a vegetable stirfry coated in teriyaki sauce- it was a relatively simple meal, and didn't even have any meat in it, yet the child still went to town.

Naruto stared at him meaningfully with a full mouth, poised to speak as soon as his mouth was clear. Inside, Charlie was grinning; one of her manner lessons had stuck in him, thankfully. The blond pointed his chopsticks at Minato with a grin. "I'm gonna beat you in training today," he revealed casually.

"Oh?" Minato raised his eyebrows. So that was why he was scarfing his food? "What makes you so sure?"

"I listened in biology today. Kuboyashi-sensei said that ninjas are at their strongest when they have a good diet and food in their belly. So you just watch out, Charlie-chan, 'cause I'm gonna kick your butt!"

Minato laughed openly and leaned back on his hands to catch the sun on his face. "I hope you do, Naruto." A colder breeze shuffled the hair on his face, and abruptly, goosebumps broke out on his arms. "Hey, what's the date today?" he asked, frowning. The trees _did _look slightly dryer than usual. Were they approaching autumn already? In fact, what date had she arrived there in the first place?

"September- something-eth," Naruto replied nonchalantly. "It's getting colder now," he added with a pouting lip, "We won't be able to train outside soon."

Minato grimaced. Winter had never been his favorite month, mostly because of the inconveniences it caused. Konoha never got overly cold or even overly hot, but winter _did _stall him from training outdoors. "We'll have to find a gym somewhere," he said in reply.

Then, he noticed something interesting. On the corners of his sensor mind, he felt a little nudge. Something a normal sensor off their guard wouldn't have noticed, and it wasn't even that close, but he felt it drawing nearer. He recognized this chakra very well, the same cool and shrewd presence that was so bountiful it demanded attention. He fought not to tense his shoulders as he slouched with practiced ease, finally digging into the bento propped onto his knee.

If Naruto noticed his strangely casual position, he didn't mention it.

"This stir-fry is pretty good," Minato noted, licking a drop of sauce from his lip.

Naruto made a displeased expression. "But you didn't put any meat in it," he sulked, "how am I supposed to get my protein?"

A smile grew on Minato's face. "Where'd you learn that word?" he teased, and laughed heartily when Naruto's face turned red. The chakra signature paused a moment, eminating strongly from the other side of the fence near the school. He had made no attempt to hide his chakra- it was as if he _wanted _Minato to notice, or at least give some indication that he did.

Minato would not give him the luxury.

"In biology!" Naruto insisted, scowling. "I know we need protein to be strong!"

"You're right. But you need vegetables too!" The Yondaime retorted, and held up a broccoli florette for inspection. "Plus, Kuboyashi-sensei said that these have protein, too."

Big blue eyes widened. "_Really?_" And then he was eating again, decimating his lunch in another two minutes. All the while, strange chakra watched them both.

As they retreated back to the classroom following Kuboyashi's call, Minato masked his displeasure beneath an expression of nonchalance. He would have to talk to the Hokage about his new stalker, and figure out how to give Charlie her body back.

It was getting harder to lay low, he reflected regrettably.

* * *

In her little fish bowl, Charlie was circling.

It was a strange feeling, to pace her confines despite not having a body, but she managed it, and managed it well. The overarching feeling of compression and claustrophobia was unbearable for her, and grew worse by the day- and yet, she bore it. Charlie had tried her best to quiet her complaints before they left her- it wasn't Minato's fault, after all- but it was increasingly more difficult. She felt stuck. She felt like a five foot long goldfish in a one gallon tank.

Trapped in her own head. Imagine that.

The comforting labyrinth of her memories had thankfully still held her occupied, and she lied there most days, doing her level best to ignore the free range Minato was getting while she, the _real_ Charlie, was locked away. She tried to ignore the outside world, and instead took comfort in the memories of her old one.

She had a few fond memories from her childhood, and she relived them, over and over. She relived old episodes of cartoons she used to watch, toys she used to play with, songs she used to sing. She read books, over and over again. And yet, the itchy feeling of being suppressed never left.

So then, she took to watching Minato. Sometimes, he was in class, and she regretted not being there with him- she was missing out on potentially important information, after all- and other times, he was training her body to the point of pain- pain which she was then grateful she didn't have to feel. Sometimes he was reteaching Naruto what Kuboyashi had failed to get across, and others he was studying alone, pouring over scrolls of sealing or of chakra or of both.

It was during these times when she decided to speak, that she realized exactly how much she missed being herself. She droned for hours to him, complained ceaselessly, talked about anything and everything just because it was more comfortable for her to speak and be heard. She had never been the talkative type before, but she was now.

If it bothered him, Minato never let on. He let her complain, accepting her biting remarks as though he were duty-bound to do so. He was nice like that.

The days drug on, one after the other after the other.

Minato kept searching, and Charlie kept swimming.

* * *

In between his searching, Minato found himself planning. He had access to the storyline, thanks to Charlie's memory, and he was ready and willing to ensure that the bad things that happened in it, didn't come to fruition. It all came down to preparation. He loved his son, and he wanted to protect him, even when he couldn't do it physically.

That meant that he would need to learn how to protect himself.

Charlie was special, yes, and she was so, so smart, and she knew everything that would happen, and he felt her dedication to protect his son was almost as strong as his own. But she was also weak, and her brain would get her into trouble more than once- he was sure of that.

So again, preparation.

As the curtains closed on the month of September, Minato found himself standing in the Hokage's office once again. It was a rarity, nowadays- they both conducted their research separately, as meeting repeatedly would only draw more attention to the situation- so Minato gave the old man an especially large grin. They had been communicating solely via messenger hawks, and though it was effective, it was slow and obnoxious.

Sarutobi Hiruzen rested his chin on his hand, giving a tired smile. He knew Minato wouldn't call a meeting with him in person if it wasn't important, but damn if he wasn't exhausted. He spent hours in his office, going through paperwork, and hours alone in his home, researching how the hell they would put Charlie in her rightful place.

They were at a precipice, he knew, and the answer loomed before them like a treat for a dog, but that didn't make it any less tiring.

Minato gave a knowing smile that didn't fit the cherubic face of the girl. "So I've been thinking, and I've decided that I need a teacher."

The Hokage blinked. The idea that Namikaze Minato, a kage, would need a sensei after all that he'd done and been through, was absurd. "You... do?"

"Yes. Well, more specifically,_ she _needs a teacher, and Naruto does as well. I think it would be beneficial to the both of us if we're trained up already by the time we graduate the Academy."

There was more to it than that. If Minato wanted to train the two kids, he was more than apt to do so.

"And who were you thinking to train you?" Sarutobi said, squinting at the boy... girl.

Minato gave a big grin. "Hatake Kakashi."

Ah, that explained it. "You certainly haven't grown _less _conniving from your time away, Minato-kun." Of course he would be concerned about Kakashi- he was his teacher at one point, after all. The man lived a life of solitude, and had no one he really let close. Sarutobi had tried numerous times to give the man a genin team, but he had failed them each time, one after the other.

"What are your thoughts?" the Yondaime inquired, eyes dancing. He already knew what the old man would say.

"I doubt Kakashi-kun would be interested in that," the Sandaime answered.

"Then force his hand," Minato said, shrugging. "Assign it as a mission or something. Pay him for his troubles. I'll take care of the rest."

"He won't like that."

"He can still take other missions. I'm just..." Minato trailed off, zoning out as if he was lost in thought. His forehead crinkled. "Ah, she's yelling at me again. Anyway, I think my assistance is needed again. He's gotten too sullen and lonely."

Sarutobi sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm going to regret this, but go ahead and try. Just know, if he puts up too much of a fight, I'm not going to force him into training you two."

Minato grinned. That was all he needed.

* * *

The next night, there was a redheaded girl standing atop the Hokage Monument.

She was there, perched on one of the spikes of the Yondaime's hair, as though she belonged there. As though it were nothing out of the ordinary, for a child so small to be up so high, probably breaking a village rule _not _to stand on the Hokage Monument.

If she wasn't standing, he could've thought she was asleep, or dead. Her eyes were closed, no movement behind the lids. If he squinted, he could see her chest lift with each slow, shallow breath, yet only barely. The wind cascading through the trees of the plateau behind her didn't seem to bother her, nor the rose-red ringlets of hair that swatted her face. Her body was as still as the stone under her feet.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. What was _she _doing there? Nothing nefarious, he hoped. It wouldn't be the first time someone had tried to desecrate the monument. It also wouldn't be the first time someone had tried to jump off of it. What was unsettling was how successful both parties usually ended up being.

It was a simple matter to shunshin to the top of the mountain, and go to her side. If it weren't for the slight twitch of her lips, he would've thought he'd successfully snuck up on her.

Alas, hazel eyes opened slightly to glance at him. "Hello," she greeted evenly. "It's nice to see you again." As though it were a common occurence to meet someone under these circumstances.

Where had he- oh, yeah. She was that weird girl who was training in his old training grounds. He recognized her now- hell, how could he not? There weren't many people alive anymore that had hair like that.

"Did you come to join me?" she asked, filling the silence that had begun to form.

"Join you in...?" His visible eye dropped to the village below them. It was a startling drop, and would definitely do the job.

Her porcelain face cracked into a wide grin as she laughed openly at him. "No, no, nothing like that!" She struggled to get her composure back, and annoyance caused his brow to twitch. "I'm meditating, of course," she added, and rather boldly nudged him with her elbow. "You should join me. You look tense."

The kid was weird, he decided. She talked too... maturely, and she was _meditating_. What person under the age of sixty _meditated_? Plus, she was standing up.

Kakashi made to leap away, satisfied she wasn't about to off herself or ruin the cliffside, when she gripped his elbow. There was a serious glint in her eye as she said, "No, seriously. I can tell when someone's had a bad day. So join me a while." Then, with a grip surprising for a person so small, she positioned him to stand next to her. "I'm doing mindfulness meditation right now. It helps me to be more cognizant of what's going on around me. So focus on your breathing, and when your mind strays, just go back to focusing on your breathing. 'Kay?"

The Copy-nin gave a longsuffering sigh, before doing what she said. Maybe if he stood here for a few minutes, she'd be too out of it to notice his departure.

The wind buffeted his shirt, and he cracked his eye open to glance at the girl. She had gone back to the almost-dead state she'd been in before, only this time, her eyes were open. She didn't look at him, didn't even seem to notice his stare. All she did was look down at the sprawling village below her. Sadness flashed in her eyes before she composed herself again. "You're not meditating."

With sweat suddenly beading at the back of his neck, he shut his eye again, grimacing. What was the point of this?

Long minutes went by, at least ten, before the girl finally cracked her neck and blew out a breath.

"I found out who you are," she mumbled abruptly, turning to him. She was still a bit sedated, yet her eyes were shrewd as she stared up at him. "Ojii-san told me you're Hatake Kakashi, a jounin." She stared up at him expectantly, before rolling her eyes at his nonresponse. "I found out, because I asked him if he had anyone who would be willing to train Naruto and me in their spare time."

No. _No._ No way in hell was he taking on a _student_. He had just escaped ANBU, for Christ's sake, there was no way he was stable enough to take on students. Let alone ones that seemed annoyingly cunning, like her. And _hell to the no _was he taking on _Minato-sensei_'s kid. That was just a whole other can of worms. There was no way, no way he could deal with that.

So he opened his mouth to tell her 'no', obviously, but she interrupted him. "He already said you'd be up for the job. In fact," she gave a small grin, "he told me to tell you to think of it as another mission. You'll be paid the same quantity as a B-rank mission."

He didn't _do _B-ranks, either. What kind of person did the Hokage take him for? A _chuunin_?

"So I'll meet you here at seven tomorrow evening, Kakashi-sensei, and I'll bring Naruto. Oh, and do me a favor?" There was a knowing glint in her gaze as she added, "Please be on time."

And before he could open his mouth, she was already bounding away, footsteps silent as her form got smaller and smaller.

Did... did she just force him to become her teacher? And did the Hokage... go along with it?

Kakashi grit his teeth. Oh, he was going to have a _vigorous _conversation with his Hokage.

The lazy jounin shunshined to the Hokage's office, irritation making his lips turn down. If what the girl'd said was true, his wise leader had pawned him to her as a teacher. He already had enough on his plate as it was, he didn't have time to look after a couple of wayward brats!

Kakashi stopped before the Hokage's office, giving a belated knock to the door. '_I should just march on in,_' he thought. Then again, he had more decorum than that.

"Come in," Sarutobi said. The amusement in his voice told Kakashi that he already knew _who _was at the door, as well as what he wanted.

Kakashi dropped any pretenses he'd had and waltzed in with his hands slung in his pockets, though he couldn't keep his chakra from flaring with his bad mood. "Hokage-sama," he greeted.

"Kakashi-kun. It's good to see you," his Hokage said. He sat behind his desk as per usual, flicking casually through a stack of missions he'd yet to assign.

"Is it?"

Sarutobi smiled. He pushed back the stack of papers and finally met his eye. "This is about Charlie-chan, isn't it?"

'_Oh yeah, that was her name._' "It may be."

The Hokage leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting mercurially. Kakashi had no doubt the old man was enjoying this. "She's a very smart girl. I think even you will find value in her." Which was saying something, considering Kakashi had no patience for children or slow people at all.

The jounin wasn't convinced. His visible gray eye turned cold as slate. "You know as well as I do that I have no time to be training _children_. Especially-" he broke off. That kid, the blond. He couldn't bear to look at the kid, let alone train him. Sure, he'd kept an eye on him, but only from afar, and partly because of his guilt from being such a hardheaded student to his father. And because Minato would've liked that, him looking after the boy.

"Kakashi-kun, you are more than able to train them both." The old man finally began to look serious. "This is as much for them as it is for you. It's time you take students." '_I'm tired of seeing you alone._'

Kakashi clenched his fists. "You're certainly pushing this, aren't you? Anything about this new girl that I should know?"

He knew he'd hit the nail on the head as the Hokage broke eye contact. "If _she _wants you to know anything about herself, she'll tell you."

People said many things about Hatake Kakashi. Some of them nice, some of them not-so-nice. But nobody had ever said that he was stupid. "So there _is _something, then." He quirked his lips, though it went unseen behind his mask. "All right."

The Hokage said nothing as the silver-haired ninja walked out as nonchalantly as he'd walked in. Once alone, he slumped a little, pinching the bridge of his nose. '_Minato-kun, I sure hope you know what you're doing._'

* * *

**salokii: Aww thank you! I know I love Minato with Naruto it's just sad Naru himself doesn't know it ;-;**

**Lyrigami: I know I haven't decided what I want to do with Minato yet! It'd definitely be a huge boon for Konoha if he somehow _did _come back to life, though. **

**Lyra: Thank you ;-; You're so kind, I'm trying to be as realistic as possible (well, as realistic as one could get given the circumstances). Sorry this update took so long!**

**Nerdcat21: It took almost a month! I'm crying I picked a bad time to write this story but it's okay because once mid- April is through, I will have a TON more time. Thank you! I've been thinking of what their interaction would be like when they meet for the first time in Naruto's mind since I began this story, so definitely have high expectations for that. **

**AngelAmongTheStars: I just figured it would be easier for everyone to go along with her name rather than waste time with them being like "Oh... so your name is Charuri?" "No... it's Charlie" "So... Chari?" every time she meets someone new. And I would agree with you about the SI/Mary Sue part you brought up, if I used her superhuman memory as 'just another awesome thing'. I use her memory as a plot point, as a bane and a boon, and as we go on, I hope you will see that it adds an integral piece to the story. Just saying she's smart is not enough, I agree, but using her memory and all that comes with it? _That _is okay, I think, and I'm sorry if we disagree on that. Also, as an added note, you're right: she is very dependent on Minato. She doesn't have chakra of her own, and I think that adds another obstacle for her to tackle. She has lived an easy life until now, granted by her memory in part, and she has never had to work for anything. Now, how will she deal with something that she can't attain easily? I hope this response has cleared things up a bit.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hi! I felt bad about leaving you for so long, so I wrote another chapter. This is more of a filler than anything, but I hope it will give more insight into the Academy I've created. In the story, they're rather vague on how they go about graduating, ranking, that sort of stuff, so I'll be taking creative liberty here. Pairings haven't changed much as I'm writing this just a few hours after the last update but:**

**ShikaxOC: 8  
****SasuxOC: 1**  
**ObixOC: 4**  
**MinaxOC: 8**  
**NejixOC: 1**  
**NaruxOC: 3**  
**GaaxOC: 1**  
**InoxOC: 1**  
**KarinxOC: 1**  
**NobodyxOC: 1**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9**

Minato was feeling the effects of burnout harder than he'd ever felt before, even when he was inventing his own jutsus.

For some reason, _this _seal was giving him anxiety. It wasn't that hefound it very difficult to come up with the basic construction, no. There wasn't much difference between the Eight Trigram Seal holding the Kyuubi, and the seal he would need to hold himself. Accounting for their difference in chakra, Minato and the Hokage had jointly agreed that they needed something like a Six Trigram Seal. That, too, wasn't difficult to make- small amenities to the basic structure when drawing it, but that was all. Hell, they had figured out that much in the first two weeks.

But now, they were on week six. And Minato was growing frustrated. There were things he needed to add, insurance policies in case something went wrong. The six nodes of the seal would work as a sort of lock, much like that of a bank vault. In order to make sure nothing untoward would happen to it (such as a certain snake), he had made sure the seal would only respond to certain peoples' chakra. His own, the Hokage's, Inoichi's. Others could be added later, perhaps, but it would jeopardize the security of the seal, and so he kept it to just the three of them.

There was the issue of allowing her to use his chakra. He had already decided that by simply being alive, her body allowed his chakra to continue to manifest. It might as well have been hers, if she could only access it. And this, this was the sticking point. Because he didn't want to come out every time she needed to use his chakra, and have to deal with the whole process of getting put back in again. No, he had decided long ago that he would never put her through something like _this _again.

So how did you make a seal strong enough to lock him into her brain, but weak enough to allow his chakra for her use?

It kept him up at night. It kept the Hokage up at night.

Charlie had grown quieter and quieter as time passed. Minato knew what she was thinking, and he wished he didn't, because her thinking it would be better off to just let him have free reign was not something he would even entertain. She had all but given up, and it concerned him greatly. What could he say to her? Sorry I took your body, don't think like that, we'll find a way? No. He knew better than to throw platitudes at her- in fact, she would probably block him out even more.

So that left him sitting up alone at night, with nothing but the light of his bedside lamp. He had long drawn the blinds, tired of the various ANBU 'checking in' on him, and it made the room feel small and desolate. Or maybe that was how he himself felt. He couldn't tell anymore.

Rubbing an exhausted hand over his- _her_\- face, Minato stood, stretching and wincing as his joints popped. He had been sitting before that seal for hours, and damn it, he couldn't do it anymore. He needed something else. Just _one _thing, just one more piece of information, and he'd have it cracked.

He padded in the new fuzzy slippers he'd bought the day before (much to Charlie's dismay, as she thought they looked stupid) to the living room. It was pitch black, as he had covered the windows here too, and not even the moonlight filtered into the room. He could've been surrounded by assassins, and if he wasn't a sensor, he'd have no clue.

The man pushed the coffee table to the far corner of the room, along with the small, uncomfortable sofa. With a steadying breath, he sat cross-legged on the floor. It would be difficult to get into a calmer headspace when his brain was whirring so much, but it was necessary. In his experience, he'd never gotten anything done worrying about it. He needed to think as objectively as he could.

So, closing his eyes, he set his hands in his lap and thought about nothing at all.

* * *

Hours later, he awoke as if from a dream.

The time was six thirty, and he needed to make breakfast for himself and Naruto. They had school today, afterall.

Minato stood, groaning as his knees cracked, and hobbled on sleeping legs to the bedroom. He had added a few clothing items to Charlie's wardrobe since receiving his monthly stipend the week prior, as he managed to tear and stain almost all of her clothing while training. Now, he chose one of the new outfits- a muted green tunic that reached the knees, and black stretch pants. It was a strange feeling, picking out girl clothes, and so he'd let Charlie pick everything (as novice as she was with fashion).

This had been one of her favorite ones, and it would be the first time he wore it, though she said nothing as he slipped it on.

He brushed his teeth, did his business, and picked out some cereal and milk for himself and Naruto. It was not the greatest breakfast of all time, but it would do.

As always, his neighbor was asleep when he knocked on his door. After waiting an appropriate amount of time, Minato jammed his own key into the lock, successfully gaining entry. Hey, what could he say? They couldn't afford to live anywhere nice.

He set down their breakfast on the coffee table and followed the sounds of snores to the boy'd bedroom. He was pleased that Naruto had managed to keep his apartment relatively clean as opposed to when they'd first met. He was no longer tripping over shoes or pants, at any rate.

Minato creaked the door open silently. His son was nothing more than a tiny bundle under the comforter, nothing visible aside from the tail of the black sleeping cap he always wore. A small smile curled his lips, heart softening. '_What a cute kid we made, Kushina,_' he thought. His hair, her nose, his eyes, her smile. How could he describe the awe he felt? How could he describe the grateful feeling that washed over him, to be here, to interact with him? What god had he appeased?

He swallowed thickly before stepping into the room further. Naruto moved under his blanket, but his snoring continued.

"Naruto," he said, a little quieter than usual. The kid shifted again. "Narutoooo," Minato sang, a little louder this time.

The kid jolted, and his night cap fell from his head as he popped up instantly. "Hah?" he grunted, eyes still closed.

Minato snorted. "It's seven. I brought breakfast?"

"Oh, sorry Charlie," Naruto mumbled, clearing the sleep from his eyes with a yawn. Minato raised his eyebrows; that was the first time he'd refered to her without an honorific. "I'll get dressed."

"Better hurry before I eat it all, squirt," Minato replied, and laughed his way out of the room as the boy voiced his loud complaints.

They ate with haste- the cereal had been a good idea- before running out the door. Naruto had his shirt on backwards and his hair flared out at odd angles, but he still looked more put together than Minato, whose hair was untamable and looked like he hadn't gotten sleep in years.

Their classmates fell into step with them the closer they got to the Academy. Somewhere along the way, they had forgotten their fear of Charlie, and had begun to treat her normally again- even the trio of girls whom she had no interest in befriending.

"**Maybe they're just drawn to your personality rather than mine,**" Charlie piped up. It was the first thing she'd said the entire day. Minato smiled slightly in response to whatever Akiko said, nodding though he hadn't truthfully been paying attention.

'_What do you mean?_'

Her laugh echoed between his ears. "**Well, you're nicer than I am. And you actually know how to socialize.**" Her voice trailed off. "**I never had to.**"

'_You'll have more than enough opportunities here, Charlie-chan. Plus, you're plenty nice,_' he added.

"**Nah, just to you. Wouldn't be good if I fought with you all the time, would it?**"

Minato rolled his eyes a little. '_If you say so._' If she didn't want to recognize that she was actually a good person, he couldn't force her to. She was smart enough to realize that on her own, anyway. It was appalling, however, that she didn't seem to understand just how good a person she really was. With all that brainpower, he would've thought she'd figure it out by now.

"-Ne, Charlie-chan?" Kaoru said, nudging him. Kaoru was a nice enough boy, with straight black hair and a permanent smile on his face. He had only started talking to Charlie after she'd stood up to the kids bullying Taro, but he thankfully had never been a part of it. Hell, though he didn't talk to Naruto, Minato caught him smiling at the kid every once in a while, which was more than he could say about ninety percent of the rest of their classmates.

Minato blinked in surprise before smiling sheepishly. "Ah, sorry, I wasn't paying attention. What'd you say?"

"Are you excited for the placement exams today?" Kaoru asked, nudging him goodnaturedly.

Ah, the placement exams.* He had almost forgotten about those. "The placement exams to show what rank you are?" he asked. In all the ruckus, it didn't surprise him that he'd all but forgotten about it. He hoped Naruto hadn't.

"Yeah. They look at it at the end of the year, too, to see which class they put you in. It's a month away, are you excited? I sure am." Kaoru leveled a thumb at his own chest with a satisfied grin. "I know I'm gonna reach top of the class!"

Akiko, from over his shoulder, thumped the kid. "Yeah, right. You can't even do a henge yet, dweeb."

A small squeak eminated from Naruto on his left. Minato glanced over to see the kid sweating bullets. "Shi- I mean, crap! I didn't study at all!" the blond shrieked.

Akiko sighed roughly. "As expected, Naruto! Sensei told us this weeks ago!"

Minato turned to give her a close-eyed smile. "Ah, actually, I forgot about it too. I hope it's nothing too hard."

The girl floundered. "Oh, um, it's okay, we know you'll do great anyway, right guys?"

Meanwhile, Naruto's shoulders slumped. "What am I gonna do, I have no idea what they're gonna put on the test!" Naruto hissed to him. The Academy grew closer and closer, and with it, Minato's feeling of dread. Not for himself, of course- not to toot his own horn, but his scores were the highest of all the students, even prodigies Kakashi and Itachi- but for his kid.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I should've remembered," Minato apologized. "We could've studied together."

The blond sighed. "S'ok. We'll just have to do our best, right?" He managed a wide grin.

Minato smiled back. "That's all we can do."

In class, Kuboyashi seemed more excitable than usual. He actually smiled as he told them to do their best and work hard, probably hoping to show off to the other chuunin teachers. Still, Minato joined in the 'hoo-rah' the class gave after his short speech. Naruto was a bit more deflated than usual, but with one nudge, he perked up. Ever the optimist, that one.

Their placement exams would take the entire day, and so Kuboyashi led them through the portions of the test while other instructors administered them. First was the written exam, and to Minato's pleasure, it had gotten more difficult than his time in the Academy. That was something to be grateful for- after all, these little kids would be genin one day. They had to be ready.

To his _dis_pleasure, however, Naruto was letting out quiet groans that told him all he needed to know. He would bomb that portion.

The next exam was taijutsu. _This_, Minato and Naruto excelled in. They were paired off with their classmates, and both of them were the first kids done with their matches. The proctor for that test gave Naruto a hesitant look as he wrote down his time and victory and told them to wait on the sides.

"I think I did good, Charlie," Naruto stage whispered as they leaned against the wall of the Academy watching the other kids spar. Akiko was doing... admittedly terrible, her form weak and her force weaker. Kaoru seemed to be doing a bit better, though he, too, was unsteady on his feet. In fact, the next kid to finish was Taro, who had a bruise quickly rising on his cheek but a grand smile on his lips.

"Did _well_," Minato corrected absentmindedly. "And I agree. That training's been paying off, hasn't it?" He gave him a conspiring grin. They had continued their training sessions faithfully every night, mostly only taijutsu though he had shown the kid his chakra nature- wind, like his own. Naruto was quickly excelling in taijutsu, and Minato could already see the unpredictable fighter he would someday become- he was off the walls with energy, and nobody- not even the Yellow Flash- would be able to keep up with him one day.

He felt the change in his own- _her _own- body, too. The muscles of his arms and legs were tough as stone now, though still small (considering, well, Charlie's body was small). His arms were corded with muscle, and he had begun to see a bit of abdominal muscles showing through the previously fleshy tummy he had to work with.

With his proper diet and exercise, Naruto had grown, too. It had only been a little over a month, but the kid was already pretty hardy now, just as physically tough as Minato was if not stronger. To say he was a proud sensei would be an understatement.

The next test was kunai and shuriken throws, and Minato did the best in the class, again. Though they hadn't worked together on this yet, Naruto still did pretty decent, getting a bit above average score. Minato was surprised as he was pleased.

Finally came the ninjutsu tests. Kids in this grade were only familiar with the henge, and so that was the only test they had to do. Minato henged into Kuboyashi, giving a megawatt grin that the man would never have allowed onto his _own _face just for kicks, which made his classmates laugh. Naruto also transformed into Kuboyashi, and again, he got an above-average score.

'_In your memories, he got held back from graduating. How did that happen?_' Because the way he was looking, Naruto could graduate the _first _time he tried the test.

"**It didn't exactly say _why_. He could always do the henge and he was fine with taijutsu even before we started working with him. I think the main thing was his chakra reserves are too high to perform the bunshin, so he needed to learn the kage bunshin to pass. Plus, I think he's trying more than he did before.**"

'_Trying more?_'

"**Of course. Can't you see him looking at us? He wants to live up to our expectations. I think just by having friends, he's lifted up a bit."**

Minato glanced to his side, where Naruto was rocking back and forth on his heels. Their exams were done, and now they waited in the classroom for the results. He seemed nervous, pursing his lips and squirming in his seat. '_Maybe you're right_,' he thought.

"**Of course I am. I'm me**."

He chuckled to himself.

Kuboyashi entered the room a short time later with the exam results in his hands. He looked fairly pleased. "Alright everyone, according to your proctors most of you did very well. I'll be reading off your ranks here, and I'll post it next to the board so that next time we have an exam, you can see how you've changed. Now..." He flipped open the packet of papers. "First place goes to Shimizu Charlie," he said. He gave her a small, curt smile of congratulation.

The class cheered, and Minato smiled politely.

As Kuboyashi continued reading off names though, his smile began to drop. More and more names were called, and Naruto's was not one of them. His brow crinkled in confusion. '_Naruto should've gotten at least fifth place with his taijutsu victory.' _Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the blond's scowl. Naruto kicked his feet sullenly, staring down at the clenched fists in his lap.

"...And finally, Uzumaki Naruto. Thanks everyone, class is dismissed," Kuboyashi finished, closing the paper with finality. Everyone stood to leave, congratulating each other.

Minato sat, straight-backed, as the entirety of them left. Naruto remained at his seat quietly at his side.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Minato got to his feet, and walked carefully down the steps to the podium. Kuboyashi was searching through his bag for a stapler, no doubt to put their new ranks up on the wall.

"Kuboyashi-sensei," Minato stated, watching mildly as the teacher startled a bit. He had been too wrapped up in his activities to notice that not all of the students had left- a rookie mistake.

"Yes, Charlie-chan," he grunted absentmindedly, reaching back into his bag without meeting his eyes.

"I've done the calculations in my head. Naruto should've been at least fifth place. Why is he last?"

Kuboyashi frowned, straightening. He opened the packet of their scores again. "It says here. Taijutsu: 10 minutes, Loss. Ninjutsu: Henge: failure. Written exam: zero." He stared at Minato with a blank expression. "How can I put him in fifth place with a score like that?"

"That's bull!" Naruto suddenly yelled from the back of the class. Minato's gaze flashed to the boy. He was now on his feet, fists clenched. He shot one down on the desk, and the bang reverberated through the silent room. "Anyone in class can tell you I finished my spar right after Charlie, and I _won_! I _did _the henge, and I knew at least some of the questions on that test!" He stormed down the stairs, glaring furiously at Kuboyashi. "Every _time _they do this! I keep telling you, I don-"

"_Enough_," Kuboyashi said. His dark eyes looked like sparking flint as he glared down at the both of them. "I will not be scolded by my own students. If you have a problem with your scores, bring them up to your proctors. The rest is not my problem. And for the record, I would believe them over any_ student, _any time."

Naruto's chest puffed. "I _did_, they just ignored me!" he shouted.

Minato took a calming breath, before grabbing Naruto's wrist. The kid looked like he was about to sock Kuboyashi, and that would be a mistake they both would regret. The boy tried in vain to dislodge his grip, but his hands were like iron now. "Naruto. We will get nowhere arguing with him. Let's talk to the _Hokage_. He's just upstairs, after all. He probably saw our fights himself." He turned to Kuboyashi, giving him a stone cold expression as he said, "Could I borrow our test scores to show the Hokage, please?"

The man grit his teeth. "I am posting them in the classroom right now." His hand came up out of his bag- evidently, he had found his stapler.

It was risky. He knew it was risky. But again... though he was even tempered, he still had righteous anger inside his soul. So nobody could blame him, really, for allowing a portion of his killing intent to permeate the air. Beside him, Naruto started to shake. "You _will_ post them later. When they are corrected."

Kuboyashi took a step back, fear flaring in his expression before he composed himself. Minato snatched the papers off the podium before the man could get any smart ideas. "Come on, Naruto. We'll sort this out by ourselves. Oh, and don't worry, Kuboyashi-sensei," he added, giving the man a frigid smile. "I'll be sure to mention your confidence in your coworkers' integrity. That's why you didn't help us, right?"

They were out of the room in mere seconds, and Minato was dragging the angry boy behind him the whole way. "I can't _believe _him!" Naruto was growling, not seeming to care much about Minato's ironclad grip on his wrist now. "He thinks he can just treat me however he wants, and never listen to me? Why do they hate me so much?"

"Because they're ignorant, Naruto." Minato came to a stop in the middle of the stairwell and turned to face the boy. He gripped him by the shoulders. "Listen, I told you this before. Don't let anybody treat you like that. Don't let it get to you, either. The Hokage is on your side, _I_ am on your side, and many, many others. If you have a problem, you come and find us. We are your friends." He sighed, giving the now quiet kid a quick hug. "Now, walk tall. I'm proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself. You did awesome today. So let's go prove it to Hokage-sama, okay?" he mumbled into his hair.

Naruto slumped a little into the hug, nodding against his collarbone. "Okay," he whispered. With a resolute 'humph!', the kid straightened, slapping his cheeks for effect. "I'm ready, dattebayo."

Minato grinned. Tenacious.

At the Hokage's office door, Minato gave three knocks in quick succession. "Just a moment!" Sarutobi called from behind the door.

It was obvious he suspected something was wrong as, against orders, Naruto burst in past Minato. His words flew from his mouth at a mile a minute. The genin team who were already in the office, likely giving their mission report, stared bug-eyed at the young boy.

Minato sighed steadyingly before he bonked the kid with his fist. "Calm down, Naruto. Let the genin finish their mission report."

Holding the goose egg on his head, Naruto turned his tearful glare on him, pouting.

"Ah, we- we were just finished," the unidentifiable jounin said, laughing sheepishly.

"Thank you, Nashi-kun. You kids did great, enjoy your weekend off, okay?" Sarutobi gave the young genin a grandfatherly smile, and the kids cheered, obviously happy about a break from the D-rank missions.

One by one, the squad left the room, and Naruto opened his mouth though he quickly shut it. Minato removed his pinching fingers from his ear with a smile. "Ah, Hokage-sama, I'm sorry to barge in without proper notice," he apologized wearily.

Sarutobi grinned. "No worries at all. I take it something happened today?"

"YOU BET YOUR- Ow, Charlie, stop it!"

"What he means to say is, Naruto was given the wrong test results for our placement exams today." He stepped forward, pointing to Naruto's results. "I can attest that Naruto should've gotten at least fifth place given his speed in the physical exam and his skill in the ninjutsu exam. Even if he bombed the written portion, which he says he didn't, he wouldn't have gotten a zero."

The Hokage sighed heavily. "You know what you are accusing these proctors of, don't you?"

Naruto glared. "YEAH, what of it?!"

"Naruto, calm down," Minato chided gently. "And yes, I'm very well aware. But even the rest of our class can attest the same- that he was the second one done in the spars- with a victory- and that he successfully completed the henge. So yes, we're accusing them of bias."

The old man leaned heavily on on arm of his seat. He reached into one of his desk drawers, pulling out a pipe and a tin of tobacco. He filled the basin relatively calmly as Naruto stewed, and it was only after he lit it that he spoke. "Ebisu-kun," he called.

A man wearing dark shades with his hair covered in a cap suddenly bolted into the room. "Yes, Hokage-sama!" he shouted, a bit _too _enthusiastically. Minato raised an eyebrow. "Round up the proctors for the placement exams. I would like to talk to them."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" He ran off like a speeding bullet.

Minato watched the dust settle that the man had kicked up in his haste. "You have... quite a capable assistant, don't you?"

"I'm assigning him to my grandson come next year," Sarutobi said cheerily, with a close-eyed smile. "He's the only one who could possibly keep up with that boy."

"I... see."

Naruto kicked the floor with his shoe. "I can't wait to see what those _jerks_ have to say," he muttered, hiding his fists in his pocket.

"It would probably be better if you went home, Naruto-kun," the Hokage said, and grimaced as the kid mean mugged him. "Your presence will only agitate things further. Charlie-chan will serve as your witness. So please go home, I will send her back there immediately once the meeting is finished."

"But _I want to-"_

The old man gave a stern look. "Do you truly believe you'll be able to keep your temper when they stand in front of you?"

The boy pouted. "No..."

"Then it's settled." The Hokage leaned forward with a wink. "Don't worry, Naruto-kun. I'll take care of it."

With a minute nod, Naruto turned and marched out the door. He was still mumbling under his breath.

Minato sighed, slumping. "I'm beginning to believe he has his mother's temper."

The Hokage chuckled, and they waited in amicable silence as Ebisu rounded up the culprits.

It took the man a mere ten minutes to have all three of them standing before him, along with Kuboyashi. The man was already bristling with rage at having been called to the office, and he shot Minato dirty looks whenever the Hokage didn't see. Minato merely smiled.

"Hello, everyone," Sarutobi greeted with a cheerful smile. The chuunin shuffled on their feet, obviously at a loss for why they had been called upon. "I hope you're well. Do you have an idea of why I've called you here?"

"I do," Kuboyashi growled, his annoyance making his face shine an interesting shade of red. "It's the Uzumaki kid. He says he got the wrong score."

The chuunin glanced warily amongst each other.

"He _knows _he got the wrong score," Minato replied smoothly. He turned to face the chuunin proctors, and bowed to them. "Thank you for administering our exams. I appreciate it. Especially you, Kuboyashi-sensei. You have been a great teacher, and I have learned a lot from you. We _all _have. However..." He turned to face the Hokage, face smoothing. "I do not approve of the bias they have allowed to cloud their judgement." He glanced at the chuunin, watching them grit their teeth and clench their fists. He smiled. "I'm not going to worry about whether or not you'll apologize for what you've done. To be honest, I don't really care. The main reason I wanted to call you all here was to have Naruto's rank changed to its correct level. Isn't that appropriate, Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi gave him a knowing smile. "That is quite appropriate, I think. What do you all think?" He turned a stern glare on the four of them. "I'll have to say, though, if you continue to insist that you reported the correct scores, and I look at his test and I question his peers and I find out you've lied to me, you will be stripped from your positions as teachers."

The four of them gasped, faces turning pale. "Hokage-sama, y-you can't just-"

Sarutobi held up a hand. His expression hardly gave away anything, but his eyes held barely concealed anger. "I can. And I will. You took an oath when you past your selection test to become teachers that you would treat all children the same, _no matter their circumstances_."

They were silent.

"So," he said, perking up as he took a glance at the list. "Taijutsu proctor Abe Bassui. What say you?"

The man had the same hesitant look he'd given when he'd first written down Naruto's score. "One minute, two seconds. Win."

"Ninjutsu proctor Watanabe Amai. What say you?"

The woman shifted unsteadily on her feet. "His henge was perfect. Just behind hers." She nodded to Minato, sparing him a baleful glare.

"Written exam proctor Yagiri Mayuu. What say you?"

"... He got a 78%," she grumbled, not meeting the Hokage's eyes.

"And finally, Kuboyashi Jin."

Kuboyashi blinked rapidly at his leader. "I... don't understand, Hokage-sama. I didn't administer any test."

The Hokage smiled. "Well, you refused to help Naruto-kun and Charlie-chan adjust the score yourself. Surely you had some reasoning behind that decision."

"W-well, I, erm, I... I don't really have an answer for that," he hedged, looking away unsteadily.

"You don't have an answer for that. Hm. Okay. Well, you have singlehandedly wasted my time by forcing these students to bother me which such a thing, and you have forced me to call all of your peers here to embarrass themselves in front of their Hokage. Do you have an answer for _that_?"

Kuboyashi's jaw flexed, yet he said nothing.

The Hokage got a steely look in his eye. "I am not the school principal. It is up to _you four_ to make sure these students get the best preparation possible for their futures as shinobi of this great village. It is not my responsibility to hound you to give Uzumaki Naruto the correct test results. If I hear _anything _else about unfair treatment from any of you regarding Uzumaki Naruto, you will be demoted to the Genin Corps. Do not waste my time again with such nonsense. You are dismissed."

The quad couldn't leave the room fast enough.

Minato, for his part, just stood there staring in awe at the Hokage. "Hokage-sama. You're a force to be reckoned with."

Sarutobi just smiled, and took a puff from his pipe.

* * *

*** The way I'll be setting this up is placement exams multiple times throughout the year, as well as multiple graduation exams. That's the only way I can think of that allows Naruto to be unable to pass the graduation exam three times in a row while still being the same age as Sasuke and Sakura.**

**Nerdcat21: All I want is for Kakashi to be happy again he's such a sad boi :( I can't say when the main cast of characters come in, I'm thinking of having a time skip in the next few chapters so probably after that. Thank you for your sweet words and review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello! Bit of a shorter chapter for you but deffo not filler. I will also be ending the pairing poll by the next chapter. It was looking close for a while there, but I'm seeing a very large increase for our boy Minty Toe so I'm thinking that's the consensus. Again, the poll will end by the posting of Chapter 11, so if you haven't voted yet please do so before then. As it stands, here are the pairings:**

**ShikaxOC: 8  
****SasuxOC: 1**  
**ObixOC: 5**  
**MinaxOC: 14**  
**NejixOC: 1**  
**NaruxOC: 3**  
**GaaxOC: 1**  
**InoxOC: 1**  
**KarinxOC: 1**  
**NobodyxOC: 1**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 10**

Naruto was trying to 'meditate' (that's what Charlie called it) when a knock came at his door. His eyebrows furrowed as he glanced at his alarm clock- it was only six PM. Charlie hadn't said she was training with him today, but... then again, she had seemed pretty pissed a few hours ago. Maybe it slipped her mind.

He unfurled himself from his cross-legged position and got to his feet, rushing to the door. He managed to stub his toe on the corner of the coffee table as well as the wall before he made it there, but at least he didn't fall on his face, which was a marked improvement from what _usually _happened when he rushed to the door.

Charlie always said: 'Haste makes waste'. He didn't really know what haste was, but he knew she tsk'ed every time he came to the door with newly sprouting bruises, so he'd learned to adapt.

Naruto might've been more cautious about throwing open the door (he'd certainly had his fair share of hecklers by this point), but he knew it was Charlie. He could tell, because she always knocked three times. So he threw open the door, and there she stood, giving him a mercurial close-eyed smile. "Hiya, Charlie," he greeted cheerfully. He had decided to drop the -chan from her name. It sounded better that way.

He really liked Charlie. Nobody else had ever stood up for him the way she did, the way she continually did. She made it seem like she was proud to be his friend, like it was only natural. It wasn't something he was used to, but he could definitely _get_ used to it.

He couldn't believe his luck at finding her that day almost two months ago, naked and alone in the forest. Who would've guessed she'd make such a great friend?

"Hey, Naruto. You ready to go?" she offered her elbow playfully.

"Are you gonna go train me again?!" he shouted, excitement pumping in his veins. Charlie was a great teacher, or at least he thought so. He learned more from her than from that bastard Kuboyashi-sensei, at any rate.

She shrugged. "Actually, I got a jounin to tutor us. I figured he might have some wisdom to impart." Naruto didn't know what 'impart' meant, but he hoped it was some kind of food.

He locked elbows with her and dove out of his flat, content to race her all the way to... wherever they were meeting the jounin at, when she stopped him. "Naruto," she chided gently, "you need to lock your door."

The blond gave a suffering sigh as he paused and dug through his jumpsuit pocket. "Not like there's anything there to take," he muttered childishly.

"Not the point," Charlie giggled, "one day, you _will, _and you don't want to forget to lock it then!"

Naruto locked the door securely. For someone his own age, she made too much sense sometimes.

"Where are we going?" he inquired, bouncing on his feet as they exited the complex.

Charlie paused, and pointed with a wide grin. "There," she said.

His eyes nearlly bugged out of his skull. "Charlie, we're not allowed there," he whispered. Especially because Charlie was so strong, she tended to be a bit destructive when practicing her taijutsu.

The redhead was laughing at him again, and he flushed. "We're just meeting him there, is all. I'm sure he'll take us somewhere else later."

That was good enough for him, and so they started their walk in amicable silence. That was, until, Naruto remembered that he wanted to race her there. He picked up the pace, a puckish grin curling his lips. "First one to the base of the mountain gets dinner," he called, and shot off. He had gotten faster since his training with Charlie, he noticed, and it didn't make him as tired anymore to run like this.

'_It shouldn't,_ _either_,' he thought with a mental grimace, '_with all those laps she makes me run._'

Naruto chanced a glance behind him. Charlie was hot on his heels, sticking out her tongue at him. His eyes widened and he picked up the pace. He couldn't spare a second- she had been training too, after all.

Then, of course, something _awesome _happened. Well, it was the exact opposite of awesome, and now he was flat on his butt in the dirt, head aching. The vegetable merchant, who had been minding his own business crossing the street, groaned at the force of trying to keep the cart rightside-up.

Naruto tentatively touched his forehead, and winced as it smarted. He'd hit it on the rail, which must've been made of wood stronger than steel, because _damn, that hurt._

Charlie skidded to a stop, dirt kicking up from her shoes. "Ah, Naruto, you alright?" she asked, sweatdropping.

"I'm fine," Naruto grouched, getting to his feet despite the vertigo he felt. How embarrassing.

The old merchant was giving him the evil eye. Ah, right, he had crashed into his cart. The blond flushed a little, and glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye, who was now bowing profusely. He decided to do the same- after all, Charlie was pretty good at making people not mad at him anymore. "I'm sorry ojii-san, I was going too fast," Naruto said quickly, bowing at the hip.

The man must've been in a good mood, because all he did was grunt and start pushing his cart again. Naruto gave a quiet sigh of relief.

Charlie pursed her lips at him, though her eyes were dancing humorously. "You almost knocked over an old man," she chuckled to him under her breath, and he glared at her.

And then she was off again, leaving him to eat the dust in her wake. Damn it.

At the Hokage Monument (she had beaten him there, unfortunately), the two decided to immediately proceed into their stretches. It wasn't time for the jounin to show up yet, Charlie said, but she also had little faith that he would arrive on time either. '_What kind of a jounin is late to his own appointments?_' Naruto thought, but didn't voice. From the sour look on her face, he was sure she was thinking something similar.

* * *

It was 8:30 by the time Hatake Kakashi decided to show his face.

Minato had been... frankly, appalled. Charlie had told him, of course, of his chronic lateness. And it wasn't like he didn't believe her. But... to see his former pristine-ninja-material student Kakashi late for training was... a shocker. Obito had usually been the tardy one.

Then again, things change, and people do too. Neither of them had escaped the Third War unscathed, and even back then, he knew that Kakashi wasn't ready for what he would face once it was over. The aftermath of Rin left him wounded, and so he'd thrown himself into ANBU with relish. He killed his enemies as coldly as he killed his own emotions, and knew nothing but blood and death and the horrid reputation he gained.

They'd called him a friend murderer. They didn't understand, of course, as strangers seldom do, but their words took their toll. Even now, Minato wondered what he could've done differently.

It was another sin he had yet to atone for.

Kakashi approached them at the base of the mountain with a grimace on his face. Not that any ordinary person could tell, but Minato had grown adept at guessing his facial expressions from his eye alone.

"Kakashi-sensei," Minato greeted cheerfully, and after a moment's pause, Naruto followed suit. He kept giving Minato these questioning glances out of the corner of his eye, but he steadfastly ignored them.

The jounin gave an exaggeratedly slow blink, as if to show _just how bored _he really was. "Charlie-chan... Naruto-kun." His gaze landed on the blond, and a strange emotion flashed on his face before he coughed. "Since I'm so nice, I agreed to help you train. You're welcome."

Minato grinned. "Thanks!" He'd have to thank the Hokage for almost forcing Kakashi into this. Excitement pumped in his veins- he would finally get to train with one of his precious students again.

Kakashi waved his hand. "Anyway. What have you brats been working on?"

Naruto bounced on the balls of his feet. "Taijutsu!" he exclaimed happily. He stalled a moment in thought, then added, "And Charlie showed me my chakra affinity."

The jounin raised his eyebrows. "And what were your affinities?"

"Both wind," Minato replied.

"Figures," the man mumbled under his breath. "Come on, then. I'll show you how to control it."

The two followed his lead as he strolled further and further from the summit of the mountain. He didn't say anything to them- in fact, he busted out the same peculiar orange book he'd been reading before, and started skimming its pages. How Kakashi managed to read and not run into anything was beyond him. The trio ended up near the far edge of the village, a training grounds that was pretty spare save for some trees and a dank looking pond.

Scratching the back of his head, the jounin turned to look at them. "Here's exercise one," he said, and plucked two leaves from the branches of a nearby tree. "If you get this, you get to move to exercise two. Do like so." He placed the leaf on his forehead, and beside him, Naruto gaped.

"How'd you get it to stay!" the kid exclaimed excitedly, hopping around the man to explore all angles.

"With my chakra. You send chakra into the leaf from your forehead, and if you do it correctly, you can get it to stick to you," Kakashi explained, and handed the leaf to the boy. He held out the other for Minato, and he took it with a small smile.

"That's all you're doing today, since I doubt you'll be able to get past it by night fall. Bye kids." And then he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto shrieked. "HEY! He didn't even stay! What the hell!"

Minato sweatdropped, not bothering to remind the kid that he was never there in the first place. It seemed his former student wanted no part in their education. "**Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, Minato,**" Charlie piped up.

The kage sighed. That, he did. Well, as long as the man wasn't anywhere to watch him do this, he may as well train Naruto the rest of the way. No use in letting the kid flounder.

"Well, complaining's not gonna do anything about it. Sit down, Naruto, let's try to feel for our chakra first," he suggested, sitting on his heels with his back straight. Naruto mimicked him with an exasperated sigh.

"Now, close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly. Just like meditating, like I showed you. Remember?" Naruto nodded minutely and complied. "You should feel something like warmth in your body, and that's your chakra. With me so far?" Another nod. "Can you focus it to different parts of your body?"

The boy's eyebrows scrunched together. "How do I do that?"

"Just imagine all the warmth flooding to that area. You can try your forehead first, since that's where we're going to be working today. Don't force it, now," he added, noting the kid's stiffened posture.

"I don't know if I have it or not," Naruto revealed, grimacing.

"That's what the leaf is for. If you're not doing it right, the leaf won't stay, and if you put _too _much chakra, the leaf will get cut. It's all about balance."

Hesitantly, Naruto raised the leaf to his forehead, and jumped a little as it immediately sliced in two and fell to his lap. His focus broke as he looked down with a confused expression.

"I can sense you have a lot of chakra, Naruto," Minato said calmly, "you really won't need to put too much towards what you want to do. So keep practicing, and I will, too." He handed the boy his own leaf, and rose to grab a few more from the tree.

For the next two hours, long after the sun ducked down over the horizon, the two practiced faithfully. Minato's chakra control was still relatively intact, even after being put into such a small body, but Naruto had just a bit of trouble. It didn't surprise him any; after all, it took a lot of time and dedication to harness chakra reserves as large as Naruto's. Hell, he couldn't imagine how tough of a time the kid would have once he started to use the Kyuubi's.

'_Ne, Charlie, when Naruto first used the Kyuubi's chakra... what happened?_'

"**He kind of lost control," **she replied after a moment. "**He was in battle, and his team mate was injured. I think he lost it a little after that, and that momentary weakness allowed Kurama to take hold a little.**"

Minato hummed thoughtfully as his fingers tangled in the grass below him. So somehow, the Kyuubi had managed to pollute Naruto with his chakra enough that he lost control of himself. He knew well enough that the seal was a strong one- he'd placed it there, after all. He had used a double version of the Four Symbols seal purely because of the Kyuubi's strength, but it made him leery that the beast was still able to cast his rage over the boy.

The sooner they befriended the fox, the better.

"**Minato, I've been thinking,**" Charlie added hesitantly, making him straighten up. "**I know you don't want to think about it, but... maybe you would be better suited to be here than I am."**

'.._.What_?' he thought. His brain short circuited. He could feel what she'd been thinking lately, about giving up, but he never thought she'd admit it. Frankly, he had hoped it was just a passing feeling. Then again, he himself was more determined than most- perhaps he was hoping that she was more of the same.

Was it cruel of him to expect something more of her?

**"I'm not giving up,"** she replied, annoyed. "**At least... if I am, it's for the greater good. Who do you think is better suited to save us, huh? You or me? I know who I'd put _my _money on. I'm tired of watching you wither away trying to create this seal for my sake, especially when you'd be of way more use."** Her voice grew smaller as she went on and lost steam.

Minato grit his teeth and leaned back on his elbows in the damp grass. Thankfully, Naruto wasn't aware of the fiery glare that flashed uncontained across Minato's face. '_Enough, Charlie. I know how much you're dying in there, believe me, but I just need more time. Can't you understand that I'd never leave you? That I'd never let you face an enemy_ _alone?_'

"**Why do you want this seal so bad? Aren't you glad to be free? Why-" **she cut off, her voice wavering unsteadily. "**Why do you always _do _that? How can you just- just sacrifice yourself, like it means nothing!**"

_'It means _something_, Charlie. That's why I'm doing this. Because you deserve your life back. I was dead, and by all means I should've stayed that way. At least this way I can fix what's broken._' He blinked rapidly as he felt her pain resonate in his heart. It was strange- this body, _her _body, was under his control, and yet it still panged with her harsher emotions. Maybe the pain belonged to both of them.

"**I can't be your jailer, Minato. I won't.**" Charlie hiccupped, and his heart sunk as he realized she was probably crying. His head started to pound- he hated when she did that. "**What do _you _have to atone for? What have _you _done?**"

It bothered him greatly that she seemed to put him on a pedestal. He was _human, _just like her. He had his faults just like anyone else, as much as others loathed to admit it. Charlie of all people should've known that. '_Charlie, I can't go over with you every time I've regretted my actions, but believe me, I have, and I still do._' His voice had taken on a hard tone. There would be no more questions.

A jagged stone wall rectified itself somewhere in his mind. There were things he would not talk about, things he didn't want to go over with her now, if not ever. It was his burden to bear. And if he was honest, as close as they were, he still valued his secrets.

She sniffed. "**I'm sad, Minato.**"

'_I know_.' All too well.

He spent the rest of the hour watching Naruto try and fail with increasing success until, by the time the sun set, the boy had managed to suspend the leaf right between his eyebrows. He gave Minato a prideful smile and a thumbs up, and the man congratulated him enthusiastically despite the exhaustion that had washed over him.

They needed to stop having serious discussions. It was seriously messing with his psyche.

The duo walked home in amicable silence, Naruto still delightedly sticking and unsticking the leaf from his forehead.

Abruptly, Minato felt a familiar chakra signature blip on his radar. He stalled, silent footsteps ceasing as a small smile curled his lips. "Kakashi-sensei. Checking up on us?" he called, turning. The silver-haired jounin stood a few yards back, thumb holding the place in his book as he glanced at the two of them.

Naruto pointed accusingly at the man. "HEY! You disappeared earlier!" he exclaimed, and Minato winced at the sheer volume. The boy had expelled an exhaustive amount of chakra trying to get the leaf to stick to him, and yet he was as energetic as ever.

Yet another thing Kushina had passed on to him. Her enthusiasm _and _her massive capacity for chakra.

Kakashi blinked boredly. "Hey, good job,you got it to stick." Minato blinked in confusion before he realized that Naruto _still _had the leaf on his forehead.

He couldn't stop the laugh that passed his lips as the boy realized it, too. Absentmindedly, he noted that it was incredible the boy could be focusing his chakra in such a way and not even realize he was doing it. He had come far in such a short time.

Naruto flushed adorably. "Yeah, no help from you!" he grumbled, peeling the leaf off. "Charlie ended up helping me more than _you _did! She explained all about it!"

A mild flicker of panic came over Minato, though outside, he merely flicked the boy's ear. "Don't be rude," he uttered.

The damage was already done as Kakashi's cold, analytical gaze swept over him. Minato knew all too well that Kakashi was a troublesome brat to try to deceive. Nothing ever really got past him. "Is that so?" he hummed thoughtfully.

Minato shrugged nonchalantly, and channeled his inner Charlie as he said, "Yeah, well, all you have to do is think about it a little. It wasn't that hard to figure out." His eyes crinkled as a grin brightened his face. "Sooo, did we pass your test?"

"Test?" Naruto parroted blankly.

Minato rolled his eyes. "Well, if we couldn't figure out this much, I'm sure Kakashi-sensei would've looked elsewhere for students. Right?" Amber eyes met the stormy gray of the man before them. There was an echo of truth to that- Minato figured it really _was _a test. Less a test to find the best students, however, and more a test to try to escape teaching them.

He knew his student very well.

Kakashi gave an eye-smile. "Of course. Well, I'll see you both this Sunday- I've got a three-day mission I'm leaving on tomorrow, so I won't be able to meet up until then. Continue training your chakra. I'm sure _Charlie-chan _will be able to help you out, Naruto-kun." The second part was added with a disturbingly heavy lilt.

Minato said nothing as the jounin shunshinned away- so he had been the real deal, this time.

"That guy," Naruto noted with a scowl. "Where do you find these people, Charlie?"

Minato just shrugged. "Want to go get Ichiraku's? I heard they're open 'til 11..."

As the blond dashed off, Minato blew out a breath and jammed his hands in his pockets. He needed to figure out that seal as soon as possible, preferably before Sunday. Frustratingly, it seemed that Kakashi was already onto him. It hadn't been his knowledge of the chakra exercise- that man had been onto him from the moment on that monument yesterday.

Perhaps the fault laid with him, for bringing attention to himself, or maybe for not acting the way Charlie would've. He wouldn't regret reaching out to him- it was in a sensei's nature to worry about his precious students, after all- but if Kakashi ended up finding out about who _she _really was, it would be very, very bad. As much as he wanted to tell his student everything and get rid of that pesky suspicious attitude he had, doing so would be disasterous.

'_Damn_,' he thought, biting his lip. '_Sorry, Kakashi-kun, but you'll have to be in the dark_.'

* * *

In his quiet, dark apartment, Kakashi flopped face-down onto his couch.

The developments of today had been... interesting, to say the least. There was definitely something off about that girl, and the Hokage hadn't done a great job of trying to hide it. There was very little information about her, and damn it, he'd looked _everywhere _for it. All he could find on her was her hospital immunization record and the little backstory she'd given upon entering the village.

It was maddening, to say the least. The story she gave- about being a runaway from a household outside of the Land of Fire- sounded too convenient, not to mention cheesy. The way she acted today was a far cry from the way she'd acted when they'd first met, too- she seemed much too mild, walked as if she owned the place, and held herself tall and confident with practiced ease. Then, of course, there was the matter of her _chakra_.

When he first met her, she hadn't had any. He could assume that she didn't have chakra at all- chakraless people were few and far between, but they existed- except for the fact that when he met her on that cliff, she was suppressing it rather than altogether not having it. In fact, she had given off that feeling of immense presence, like she was someone he ought to know and be aware of, like she was someone dangerous.

Why did she suppress her chakra? It had to be exhausting to constantly monitor that sort of thing. How such a young girl was able to conclusively hide it away, too, was awe-inspiring- hell, if he let his guard down, sometimes even _he _had trouble hiding his signature.

Which brought the question of _why_ again. Frustrating, she was completely and utterly frustrating. A baser part of himself, the ANBU part of himself, wanted to haul her off to T&I and find out what he needed to know the old fashioned way. Even if he would be able to get over the moral hit it would take to do that to a little kid, though, the Hokage would never allow it. The old man wouldn't have let her into the village if he didn't trust her, and it should've been a comfort.

It wasn't. He hated not knowing.

It bothered him even worse because he felt like he _should _know her. She felt familiar to him, in one way or another. The clear and concise way she spoke, the expressions she made, the look in her eyes every time she caught his gaze. It was achingly familiar, and he couldn't figure out why.

'_Ah, then again. Perhaps I'm overanalyzing_.' Even that didn't seem appropriate. He always trusted his gut, and his gut said that something was amiss with her.

He sighed as he pulled down his mask and untied his hitai-ate. A tired hand ran over his eyes. He would continue watching her, he supposed, at least until he found out her secrets. It was his duty as a ninja to examine all threats.

Real or perceived.

* * *

**Nerdcat21: Thank you lovely! Mizuki in particular was such a rat bastard so I agree with you there. I love angry dad Minato, he's cathartic to write.**

**silverfoxkurama: It'd make the pairing real awkos if they didn't have separate bodies so for MinaChar's sake I agree with you lmao! Thanks for reading and reviewing :D**

**GreenTea2102: Was kinda neck-and-neck there for a minute between Shika and Minato so I've let it run for a while lmao. No worries, to be honest I'm all for writing what everyone wants to see! Thanks for your review friend :)**

**salokii: That is also a very real possibility. Imagine 5 year old Naru-chan going up to Hiruzen and saying "I wanna be Hokage! Academy now!" Adorable. **

**Lyrigami: Charlie casually stealing Minato's brand by using all of his signature jutsus XD I hope I'm living up to expectations with Minato and Kakashi's interactions, I'm trying to demonstrate Kakashi's easygoing manner but also how perceptive and coldblooded he is/was/can be. And I'm sure Charlie's already cooking up a plan for Sasuke in her plotting little mind :) Thanks for your review and support! **

**GalaxyaCheetah26: That's what I'm going for! Part of the reason I wanted to write this story was because it'd be so different from regular OC-in-Narutoverse stories, so I'm glad you're enjoying. Thank you!**

**Zerelda: I love the heck out of you! Thanks for the review and support!**

**T01: Thank you! I think they're pretty good together too, but hey, who knows what the future holds? Besides Charlie, of course... :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: The results are in. Our winner is... Minato, with 16 votes! I have to remind you all that this will be a slow burn- a lot of plot needs to happen, and this will be a pretty sizable fic, but I hope you'll bear with me as we go. Also, this chapter is a bit on the longer side. It is my in-advance apology because I will be inactive with this story until at least April 15th. The reason for this is a long, arduous research project that is due that day and that I have not started writing the essays for. So I hope this makes up for it slightly.**

**Thanks to everyone for voting, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Chapter 11**

"Charlie. I've got it."

The words came suddenly. The drop in volume spoke of the necessity to keep quiet, and yet the meaning being those three words would've impacted her just as much had he screamed them from the top of the Hokage Monument.

She had been watching a rerun of Rugrats when he'd said it. His voice saying her name always caught her attention, drew her forth as if she was surfacing from underwater, but _this time,_ this time it felt like she'd been falling from the sky, and he'd snatched her to safety with a hero's smile. _This _time, she could feel all of his emotions at once, a current of relief and satisfaction and determination and a tiny, infinitesimal amount of nervousness.

Charlie closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was in that yellow space again rather than her mental labyrinth. He stood there, grinning cheesily, and held up an incredibly detailed looking seal on parchment paper for her to see. She couldn't discern much meaning from it- she had all but removed herself from his company when he worked on the seal, too afraid to distract him- but his expression told her everything she needed to know.

Incredibly, the first thing she asked him was, "How'd you get in here?" rather than "Holy shit, how'd you do it?" Though the second part flowed instantly after the first. The third part was her squeezing the absolute life out of him, right around the middle. He looked like himself, rather than like her, which was much less creepy in her opinion. The same blue top and pants, green flak vest and Hokage haori. His hair was just as long and untamable as ever, and he had the same sunshine smile he always wore.

_She _looked like herself too, thankfully. In her mind, she looked exactly the way she was supposed to. Almost an adult, as it was two days before Naruto's birthday which meant it was five days until hers. She was still wearing her jeans, her Converse, her floral blouse. Her hair was even in the same long braid it had been before, and hopefully, the chubby cheeks had vanished, too.

The fourth part was him hugging her back with unusual exuberance, most likely due to finding the answer to at least one of their problems. "I closed my eyes, thought of talking to you, and did," he said. "And as for how I did it, I just used the Four Symbols seal rather than trying to fix the Eight Trigrams seal to weaken it."

Charlie glanced up at him, hoping the blank look on her face would convey that none of that made any sense to her. She noted belatedly that his face was a bit too close to hers, and that they'd probably been clinging to each other for a bit too long. She hopped back a bit. Apparently, she'd been deprived of human contact for far, far too long.

If he noticed the flush rising to her cheeks, he didn't mention it. "Ah, the Four Symbols seal is like the Eight Trigrams, except... half. The Eight Trigrams is made by layering one Four Symbols seal on top of another, and is used to hold strong malevolent beings or things- like a Tailed Beast. _This _seal is half as strong. It's still meant for evil energy, but... if all goes well, hopefully it will be strong enough to tether me while still allowing me to communicate with you."

Charlie breathed out a sigh of relief. One of her greatest worries was not being able to talk to him, as clingy and childish as that was. He was the only thing keeping her stable right now, and she didn't know what she would do if something were to happen to that. Wait... "So you scrapped the whole modifying-the-Eight-Trigrams seal thing?"

He gave a sheepish smile. "Ah, well, I eventually figured out that it would still be too strong for our purposes. Plus, this is easier to amend later, and less dangerous to work with."

The redhead felt her shoulders sag as the relief finally hit her. She felt her lower lip jut out, and had the embarrassing feeling that she was about to cry, _again_. "Thank you," she said, in not much more than a whisper.

All he did was smile, and pull her into a hug again. She wondered if he wasn't feeling a bit emotional, too.

"Minato... are you... is this okay?" she mumbled quietly into the fabric at his collar. "You said earlier that you didn't mind, but..."

"I feel a lot worse being out than I do being in, Charlie." He pushed her back to stare her in the eye seriously. His hands squeezed her shoulders meaningfully. "You have given so much to me. I've finally been able to talk to my son, I've been able to do things for my village, for you. So allow me this, okay?"

Hesitantly, she nodded, and watched that infectious smile spread across his face again.

* * *

They stood in the Hokage's office, as they had many times before.

Minato had gone to the Hokage first in the morning, skipping Kuboyashi's morning lecture with relish (it did get tedious, after a while, to relearn everything). Sarutobi had been incredibly relieved that Minato had managed to work out a seal, as he had felt like banging his head against the wall for weeks. It was the hardier cousin of the Four Symbol seal, only responsive to certain chakra signatures and only weak enough to allow Minato to communicate with Charlie- not overtake her.

She had been worrying away the entire walk there, however. What if it went wrong somehow? What if she couldn't talk to him anymore? What if it didn't work? All he did, though, was tell her to have a little faith. He wasn't hailed as a prodigy for nothing, after all.

So there they stood, the Fourth, the Third, and Yamanaka Inoichi, who was bleary eyed as it was only six in the morning.

"This is going to be a very delicate procedure," Inoichi started finally, after they all were caught up on what was about to happen. "The seal will be on her brain rather than her skin, so it may be painful, and it'll be a bit delicate afterwards. I recommend not pushing your boundaries or trying to talk to her much once she wakes up. There's also the matter of your chakra..." He trailed off, staring at Minato seriously.

"She didn't have my specific signature beforehand, so no one should be able to sense me after this. I've purposely left the seal a bit weak, just to allow not only communication, but... when the time comes, I hope I'll be able to lend my chakra to her," Minato explained.

To be honest, his primary hope was that she would naturally be able to make use of his chakra. Technically, the Four Symbols seal would allow that. If that wasn't the case, though, he had a backup plan.

He had done a bit of research on chakra systems, and though obviously no one had been in this situation before, there had been people who weren't able to 'unlock' their chakra. They were able to access their chakra after a medical procedure involving opening the chakra passageways and removing blockages. He hoped that by doing a similar procedure on Charlie, it would yield similar results.

Hope. It all lead to that. Hope and faith. Minato was the calculating type- he hated risky moves like this, and he hated relying on fate. But it was all he had now. It _had _to work, or at least lend itself to a solution.

Inoichi led him to the Hokage's desk chair, and he sat primly, ignoring the coiling nerves in his stomach. Sarutobi seemed to understand the slight widening of his eyes, however, and gave him a grandfatherly smile. "Are you ready, Minato-kun?"

Minato gave a short nod and relaxed as much as he could. With one last assessing look, the Hokage grabbed his outline of the seal in one hand and Inoichi's upper arm in the other.

"Then let's begin," Inoichi said. His cool fingers found Minato's temples.

As the spell of the Yamanaka's jutsu cast over him, Minato felt his eyes close.

* * *

"It's strange to be here again," Inoichi noted. The stood in front of Charlie's brain for the second time, adjusting minutely to the strange situation. "Usually, I see a brain only once."

The meaning behind that, of course, was a bit dark. Then again, enemies of the Hidden Leaf didn't really get much leniency.

Sarutobi took a deep breath as he drew closer to the brain, the odd synapses of electricity setting his hair on end. "Let's do this quickly," he suggested. One dark eye glanced to his companion over his shoulder. "Be ready to pull out at the first sign of trouble."

Inoichi nodded curtly.

His Hokage gingerly placed the seal Minato had created directly onto the fleshy brain. With one steady hand, he pressed his palm to the script. "_Fuuinjutsu: Shishou Fuuin_!"

The black ink of the tetragram flooded the pink flesh below it, and Inoichi grabbed the Hokage's elbow on instinct as the space around them started to shake. The immense power of the seal blew the blond man's hair back. "Let's get out of here," he shouted, and dragged the both of them out of the jutsu.

Sarutobi shuddered automatically as he came to in the office. Inoichi rolled his shoulders, exhaling a sharp breath. Before them, the little redheaded girl's head lolled to her front, and her entire body had relaxed nearly off the seat. Inoichi felt for a pulse, and sighed as he found it. "All right. With any luck, she'll be back once she comes to."

"How long?" Sarutobi asked, leaning against his desk. Inoichi's jutsus always made him feel terrible, as if he'd just been thrown around by a Tailed Beast*.

"I'd give her longer to wake up than she took last time. Probably at least a day, Hokage-sama."

"Do you know where her apartment is?" Sarutobi inquired. If she was going to be out until the following morning, the chair wasn't going to cut it. Besides, he needed to sit down after that- that seal had taken more chakra than he cared to admit.

At the blond man's nod, he sighed in relief. "Please take her there. Her key should be in her pocket."

With a bow and a, "Hokage-sama," Inoichi disappeared.

Sarutobi collapsed into his desk chair with relish. "These damn kids and their jutsus and their body snatching," he grumbled, feeling his stomach turn sickly.

* * *

Naruto was... concerned.

Charlie had neglected to tell him that she wasn't going to school. In fact, she wasn't even home by the time he left, and that was just weird. Where did she have to go so fast that early in the morning? Was she sick?

Begrudgingly, he walked to school alone. Hands shoved in his pockets, he resigned himself to another day of Kuboyashi's torture alone. The other Academy kids acted like they didn't see him as they formed a pack on the way, and he rolled his eyes. Charlie seemed to be their main focus, it appeared.

He wouldn't pretend that it didn't hurt him that so many people avoided him like the plague (or worse, threatened or spit at him). Perhaps if he'd done something wrong, he would've been more sympathetic towards their feelings- but he hadn't. Not that he could remember. And they had hated him all of his life.

Even that horrid wench of a matron, back when he was still in the orphanage. She had a bad temper, and often kicked him out on the streets for the night (even when he hadn't done anything wrong, mind you). The first time she'd done it, he had been four years old, barely able to form a cohesive sentence let alone survive a frigid night alone.

Still, he'd made it this far. And he had friends, they were just few and far between. Like Charlie said, he had people he could fall back on.

And yet, sitting in the classroom alone felt pretty desolate.

He watched with bored eyes as the rest of his class filtered in, and then Kuboyashi. It was Monday now, and new ranks had finally been posted on the board. Naruto was pleased to see his name in 4th place, though his classmates disagreed.

They stalled in confusion in front of it, wondering why their rank had gone down and why his had shot up, before making their way to their seats with ugly expressions on their face. Oh, he couldn't wait to hear this.

Kuboyashi began the morning the way he usually did- good morning, the schedule for today is, any questions, okay we'll get started.

Except he didn't get to the 'let's get started' part, because stupid Akiko shot her hand up and without pause said, "Ano, sensei, how come my grade dropped?"

Valid question. She had only gotten 13th, after all. If he was her, he would be concerned too.

"Because we had to recount the scores. The scores you see on this board are accurate," Kuboyashi said. The blond was pretty happy that he didn't mention Naruto by name- probably because he was afraid of what would happen if he did.

He made a mental note to thank Charlie again. She always seemed to know what to do.

To his _dis_pleasure, however, Akimichi Kazuo, with one hand in his chip bag, busted out, "How come Naruto got up to 4th place?"

A wave of 'oh shit' came over the boy as every eye in the class turned to him. If Charlie was here, she'd know what to say- she'd both tactfully explain his ranking, while at the same time not accusing the teachers of being jerks. But Naruto, he couldn't come up with anything.

He was just... himself. He wasn't super awesome, like Charlie, and he wasn't super smart, like Charlie, and even if he dealt with criticism all his life, it never came easy to him.

So all he did was shrug and say, "I got the wrong score last time."

Which started a flurry of accusations, groans of discontent, and shouting. Naruto dutifully tuned it all out, picking at his ear with his pinkie as he did so. It was hardly his fault that they didn't study or practice enough. Yeah, if Charlie hadn't been here, he would definitely still be dead last- but she trained him, and she fought for him, and so he had assumed his actual rank.

Naruto wouldn't feel bad about that.

By the time the class broke for lunch, the blond had all but fallen asleep at least six times. The glares his peers gave him bounced off his iron skin, and he laced his fingers behind his head to be a picture of nonchalance as he made his way to the tree. Charlie hadn't packed him a lunch, so all he had to eat was a couple of bananas he'd grabbed on his way out the door, but at least it was something.

Old times.

It felt odd to be sitting here alone now, and he didn't like it. He and Charlie had been the dynamic duo for more than two months by this point. '_She has some explaining to do when she comes back,' _he thought grouchily.

Something pricked at the corners of his mind, and he glanced up. The trio of girls that Charlie... tolerated, were on their way to him. Their faces were tight with anger, lips pressed together, and yet they did their level best to give him fake smiles. He had become adept at recognizing negative expressions. "Hey, Naruto," Akiko said, in a forced casual tone. She had changed her outfit that day- she now wore a qi and knee high boots. The more disturbing part of her new get-up was her hair, which she had curled to oblivion and then pinned to the top of her head.

He didn't know what kind of style that was meant to be, but whatever she was going for had fallen flat.

"Hi?" he replied, peeling his second banana.

"Where's Charlie-chan?" she asked, and her face wavered with her disgust as he jammed half of the banana down his throat. He did this for two reasons- 1) he had the feeling he would be needing to run soon, and 2) to see the look on her face when he did.

Naruto shrugged. "Couldn't tell ya, -ttebayo." '_Probably hiding from you and beehive hair,'_ he added mentally.

Chiyoko sighed over the girl's shoulder. "I told you, Akiko-chan, I bet she's skipping 'cause today's the first day of kunoichi classes."

Akiko's lips quirked up into a humorless smile. "Oh, yeah. She's much too masculine for those. I mean, did you see her arms? Why does she need to be so... buffed out?" Her giggle sounded false.

Naruto cringed. She was trying to take digs at his friend, and he should've felt angry on her behalf... but Charlie would've just laughed in her face. Hell, _he _felt like laughing in her face. The girl was grasping at straws.

"It's kind of ugly," Mayu stage whispered. Her black, beady-looking eyes kept darting to him, waiting for him to set off.

Akiko grinned at her. "Well, at least she knows her _place_," she emphasized maliciously, and stared down at Naruto to see his reaction.

Naruto finished his banana and tossed it over his shoulder into the bushes beyond the trees. It was kind of annoying that they chose to dig at Charlie instead of him, though they were clearly pissed_ at _him. Were they trying to get a rise out of him?

He wouldn't give them one. Charlie had looked cool as hell standing up to Kuboyashi like that, stone cold and unaffected.

So he decided to try _that _instead.

"It's pretty sad that you have to go after people like that. I hope you feel better now," he said, an unbidden shit-eating grin splitting his face. He couldn't say it didn't give him _some _satisfaction to watch them all gape at him in shock.

Akiko's face dropped into a scowl, and her hands clenched into fists. "Naruto," she growled, before stalking forward towards him.

"Bye," he shouted, and split.

He decided he really didn't want to go back to class, and so he ran home instead. It was about 1 now, and he hoped that Charlie would finally be home so that he could hound her about where she'd been and why she'd left him to the dogs.

Naruto rang her doorbell about sixty times before he realized that she was either still not home, or in a dead sleep. Figuring the former, as Charlie didn't seem the type to sleep heavily, he sighed and retreated into his apartment.

What a boring day it was turning out to be. Maybe he could go get ramen later.

* * *

When she awoke, it was to the sound of loud banging on her door.

Her whole body froze as she realized she was now back in control of her own body. She could feel her hands, her feet, the blankets under her back and the pillow under her head. She could blink her eyes, wiggle all fingers and toes, and as she lurched up, she could feel queasy, and dizzy, and tired.

Charlie's eyes were wide as saucers as she gripped her forehead in her hands, taking quick, shallow breaths. '_Fuck,' _she thought, '_I'm... back?'_

Panic gripped her heart momentarily. '_...Minato?_'

She sagged in relief as his voice came through her mind, clear as always. "**I'm here, Charlie**," he replied, amused. While she was grateful to hear from him, those three words sounded louder than an alarm, and she gripped her head in her hands.

'_Shit, did you yell or something_?' she asked. He didn't reply. '_Oh, the old man said to not talk to me for a while. I forgot, sorry._' He just hummed in reply, and even that was painful enough that she winced.

Her brain felt like someone had squeezed it tight, and she could only move gingerly, gingerly as she stood up. A headache of massive proportions was building behind her eyes, and that _incessant knocking wasn't helping_.

As quickly as she dared, Charlie marched her way to the front door and threw it open, ready to give hell to whoever had woken her up, when she froze up. It was just Naruto, and he was pouting like a kicked puppy.

"Do you... wanna go to school?" he asked awkwardly, shuffling on his feet as he avoided eye contact.

Regret pooled in her stomach. She'd probably accidentally given him a nasty glare.

"Ah, sorry, Naru-chan, come in," she said, sounding as exhausted as she felt.

He perked up a little and followed her inside. "How come you weren't at school yesterday?" he asked, blinking innocently up at her. "And Kakashi-sensei was wondering where you went, too," he added. The redhead grimaced- she had missed their meeting with the oh-so-perceptive jounin, and he was probably squinting shrewdly at her from afar at this very moment.

"Just wasn't feeling too well. I was at the hospital," she lied, and felt her way to the kitchen to look for some aspirin. It was _weird _to look at things, and be able to move, and say whatever came to her mind. It was weird now.

"Are you okay now?" Naruto asked, sitting at her table and watching her stumble around.

"Just a really bad headache," she said, and grinned at him. "Ne, what day is it?"

Naruto had to think about it. "Uhhh... October 10th?" he finally answered.

"That long, huh?" she murmured to herself.

She finally found the aspirin, and downed about four tablets with a glass of water. Her eyes stared unseeingly down at the tile countertop as her thoughts spiraled around her. She swallowed and set the cup in the sink, gripping the edge of the counter with thin fingers to steady herself.

Then, she padded with socked feet to her friend, knelt down, and grabbed him into her arms.

The blond stiffened a bit before relaxing in her hold. His arms slowly wrapped around her to hug her back, and his chin dug into her shoulder as she pulled him closer.

Charlie cleared her throat of any wobbliness or tears as she said, "Happy birthday, Naruto."

She could feel the large smile form on his face. "Thanks," he said simply.

Charlie pulled back, mirroring his expression. "Yeah." Her hazel eyes- now really, truly hazel- fell on the clock over Naruto's shoulder, and she gaped. "Shi- I mean, crap! We're late!"

Her fingers clenched into the collar of his jacket as she pulled him in her wake, only pausing at the door to throw her shoes on before rushing out. They had five minutes to get to class.

"Naruto," she said, glancing over her shoulder as they marched down the stairs. A challenging smirk quirked her lips. "I'll race you."

The blond got a determined glint in his eye as he said, "You'll lose!"

The moment they reached the ground, they set off, dirt kicking up in their wake as they streamlined towards the Academy. They rushed past pedestrian and student alike, and if anyone had time to yell at them to slow down, they were already too far gone to hear it. Charlie picked up the pace to make it neck-and-neck, thighs already burning with the sudden exertion.

"How's-my-dust-taste?" she got out between breaths, leaping over a child standing in the middle of the road. Belatedly, she heard him cry out.

"I-wouldn't-know, slowpoke," Naruto replied, equally as breathless.

Akiko, Chiyoko, and Maru were nearly bowled over as the duo blew past them, and Charlie chuckled as she heard Akiko's protests over her shoulder.

Finally, they both made it to the classroom seven minutes early, and gripped their knees as they tried to catch their breath. "I-won," Charlie sputtered victoriously.

"_No_, look!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing at their feet. His right foot was a few centimeters ahead of hers.

The redhead rolled her eyes. "I still got here first, dummy," she retorted, letting out a hoarse laugh.

Naruto pouted childishly. "Whatever," he mumbled, but grabbed her wrist anyway as they headed to their table.

Charlie raised one prim eyebrow as she felt multiple pairs of eyes on the both of them. "Uh, Naru-chan, why is everyone staring at us?"

He shrugged casually. "They're mad 'cause their ranking dropped," he said, nodding towards the updated ranking list.

Oh yeah, _that_. She had almost forgot that. Geez, she hoped Minato hadn't scared Kuboyashi off _too _badly. She knew he could be a bit scary when he wanted to, even in the form of an 11-year-old kid.

She gave a stern glare to the people mean mugging them, and watched with a bit of malicious satisfaction as they turned back round in their seats.

The trio of girls flocked in not soon after Naruto and Charlie had sat down, and while two of them found their seats with little trouble, Akiko took a detour to their table. Out of the corner of her eye, Charlie noticed Naruto stiffen. Something must've happened yesterday while she was out, she surmised.

Akiko had an annoying smile on her face. "Hey, Charlie-chan, feeling better?" A lesser being would've thought her expression and tone of voice was genuine, but Charlie was a little above assuming good things about people.

Naruto kicked her ankle under the table, and she grit her teeth. "I'm doing great, thanks for asking, Akiko-chan," Charlie replied evenly.

Her pale blue eyes drifted towards the blond beside her, and a Cheshire smile grew on her lips. Charlie's eyebrow twitched automatically- the kid looked like the Grinch for a second there. "Hello, _Naruto-kun_," she said in a teasing tone.

Naruto rolled his eyes moodily, further concreting the idea that something had happened the day before. He never really showed much interest in Akiko before. "Wouldn't think you'd show your face to us again after all that crap you said yesterday," he replied bluntly.

Charlie glanced at him casually. "Oh? Drama?" She turned back to Akiko, who was squinting at Naruto as though daring him to open his mouth again. "Are you harrassing my friend, now, Akiko-chan?"

The girl shook her head quickly. "No, not at all. I just wanted to see how you were doing, we were all super worried about you yesterday."

Naruto kicked her ankle again, which was starting to get really annoying because _she got the message, damn it_. Charlie gave the girl a bright smile anyway. "Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm fine now."

"Are you going to come to kunoichi class now?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder as Chiyoko and Mayu giggled. An inside joke, it seemed.

"I don't know about _that, _but..." Charlie replied, and gave a nod towards the front of the class, where Kuboyashi was now tapping his foot impatiently. "You should probably go back to your seat."

To her credit, Akiko flushed and hurried to her seat, mumbling an apology under her breath.

Charlie sighed and stomped on Naruto's foot midway through kicking her again. "Naruto, I swear to God-"

"She was mean yesterday," he revealed in a whisper, taking hesitant glances towards their teacher. "She came up talking about how you're ugly and look too masculine to go to kunoichi class."

"...So?"

He blinked owlishly at her. "What do you mean 'so'?"

Charlie giggled quietly. "Naru-chan, you and I both always knew she was a mean girl. You can't honestly be surprised." His expression told her he was still a bit peeved. "It's like I'm always saying. I learned a long time ago that people's opinions only matter as much as you let them. So I just choose not to care."

Naruto squinted at her, but shrugged and didn't press the matter further.

Kuboyashi pulled her aside once his lecture was done for the morning, and Charlie waved Naruto off as he tried to follow them. It warmed her heart a little that he was so concerned about her, but she was a strong girl most of the time. "Charlie-chan," her sensei said, leading her into what she presumed to be the faculty lounge, "I have these papers for you." He dug through his back and pulled out a stack of what she recognized to be homework.

"... Thanks," she said, accepting them dutifully. She watched him carefully as she folded the papers neatly and stuck them in her kunai pouch. "Was that all?"

"Ah, no. You missed the first kunoichi class you were scheduled to be at." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Minato had done a good job of scaring the man, but he'd also managed to scare him _off_. "You'll be attending the kunoichi class twice a week instead of sparring. Your instructor is..." He paled as he read her title off the piece of paper. "... Murakami Kazu. Good luck." He handed the paper to her as though it were poisoned.

Charlie stared flatly at it. Call it sexist, but she really thought this would be a gigantic waste of her time. She wouldn't be doing seduction missions_ any _time soon, and she _definitely _didn't care to know about proper bouquet arrangement. "I'd rather ki-"

"It's required," he interrupted. His longsuffering expression told her he'd heard it many times before.

A tick mark appeared on the girl's forehead as she grit her teeth, the paper crumpling weakly in her deathgrip. "The sexism in this society is beyond compare."

Kuboyashi just shrugged and swerved around her to leave the room, probably wary of being in the blast zone.

With stomping feet, she left the warmer indoors for the chilly outside. Naruto was rocking casually on the tree swing, but he stalled upon seeing her. He grinned widely and waved to her. "Hey, Charlie, what's the-"

He paled a little at her terse expression, and she took a deep breath before composing herself. "Kunoichi class," she said, by way of explanation.

His sky blue eyes glanced over her form. "Kunoichi... class?"

"Instead of sparring. _F-_" _Fucking kunoichi class_.

"**Kunoichi class isn't as useless as you may think. We all have our skill sets,**" Minato piped up.

He really shouldn't have, because 1- it made her headache return, and 2- he was just fanning the fire.

'_And my skillset involves my vagina, **Mi-na-to**?' _she growled, feeling her annoyance return with a vengeance.

"**N-no! I- I just mean, y-you-**" he sputtered in fear. Oh, if he only had a corporal body she could _slap_.

'_Might I remind you that if I use my **skill set,** you'd have to__ watch?_'

He didn't have anything else to say to that. Smart boy.

Sighing irritably, Charlie plucked at the grass under her fingers. "I guess it could be _worse_," she allowed eventually, and slumped a little at the happy smile Naruto sent her. She just wanted to squeeze his cheeks sometimes.

"So when are you going to that class?" Naruto asked, eyeing the balled up paper in her hand tentatively.

Charlie unraveledit and glanced down. "Tomorrow. It meets Monday and Wednesday. And..." she squinted at the paper, "...I have to 'dress for success'." She gave Naruto a confused glance. "What does that mean? Dressing up?" She hated doing that. In her old life, she had been made to dress formally on many occasions- violin recitals, meeting with people who could give her an internship, meeting with professors, colleagues. It never got any easier.

The blond rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe? Do you have anything fancy?"

Her hand began to twitch irritably. "No. It's a waste of time."

"Looks like you'll have to go shopping today, then," Naruto noted cheerily. He had that grin on his face again, but this time it looked like he was enjoying her pain.

She narrowed her eyes at the little brat. "Then I'm going shopping. Bye." She stood, brushing off the seat of her pants. If Kuboyashi was making her take these damn classes, he could deal with her absence for the rest of the day. Besides, she didn't want to bog down Naruto's day by making him go shopping with her. "I'll come by once class lets out, and we can go do whatever you want, okay?"

Naruto pouted childishly, but let her go.

* * *

Charlie reveled in the cool air on her face as she walked into the shopping district. It was rather quiet, probably due to the time of day, and that too was a blessing. '_I kind of regret yelling at you_,' she noted, stretching her arms behind her head. After all, he _had _given control back to her. A lesser man might not have done the same.

One thing was for certain. She would never take things like this for granted again. It had been much, much too long since she'd felt the ground beneath her feet and the wind in her hair. Even if she had about a billion other things she had to worry about, for the moment, she just wanted to enjoy the simplicity of living.

"**It's fine, I provoked you**,**"** he replied evenly. "**Are you shopping for a dress?**"

The redhead grimaced. She didn't even know where to look for something like that. All the shop names were ambiguous things like 'The Kunai's Edge' and 'Risa's Place'. '_Is that what I should wear?' _One couldn't blame her for being confused- she wouldn't know what to wear in her old life either.

He laughed at her. "**I would assume so. Why don't you check the store we went to the first time?**" Ah, yes. The first store she'd ever been to on her own. Maybe Haruna could help her once more.

Charlie followed her mental map towards the boutique (which was thankfully demarked as 'Boutique'). She hoped desperately that Haruna was working, or another equally as nice colleague. Her hands found the pockets of her tunic as she glanced around casually.

Though it was basically the village center, it was rather peaceful, people quietly milling about or trying to haggle the merchants that lined the streets. They sold anything from squash to jewelry to freshly baked pies that filled the air with the scent of cinnamon and sugar. A few kids were being a bit rowdy behind their mother, who was staunchly ignoring them, but beyond that, it was... _quiet_. No car horns, people talking on the phone, vendors yelling at her from the sidewalk.

A nice change of pace. A small smile lifted her lips. She wondered what road she had taken that had pulled her to here, to this moment. Even though it had been her reality for more than two months, it still didn't feel_ real_ to her. Though she didn't wake up expecting to be in her own bed at home anymore, it was still strange to see the green and blue-clad shinobi walking around, to feel the dirt ground underfoot where there used to be pavement.

"**Listen to** **me,**" Minato said abruptly. Her feet stuttered a bit as she walked, but she resumed her pace without incident. "**Don't act suspiciously, but I sense someone following us. Can you feel it?**"

No. No, she couldn't. Sweat beaded on the back of her neck anyway.

"**It's not the same chakra that was following us the other day. I think we have a new tail. They...**" he trailed off in his confusion. "**they don't seem very _strong_,** **though**."

They didn't need to be strong to beat her up, though she didn't bother mentioning it. She could feel the new power in her legs, her arms- Minato hadn't been screwing around in the time he'd held the reigns- but she was still weaker than pretty much anyone with a hitai-ate.

Sighing, she rolled her shoulders and paused before the doors of her destination. '_Let's see if they follow me in_,' she thought, passing into the building.

To her pleasant surprise, Haruna _was _working, and she gave her a knowing grin as she came round the counter. "Hi!" she greeted.

"Hey. I, uh..." Charlie flushed in embarrassment, "I need a formal dress. Do you carry them here?"

The blonde raised her eyebrows, but nodded. "We do. Come with me," she said, takingher hand suddenly and leading her to the back of the store.

"**They came into the store,**" Minato noted, sounding surprised. It surprised her, too- this store was specifically geared towards women, so unless her stalker was female, surely he would remain outside to not be noticed?

Haruna led her to a rack of formalwear. They were all floral, all kimonos, and all at least a thousand ryou. She balked, recalling the meager sum of money she had left over after Minato's latest shopping spree. "Anything cheaper?"

"Hmmm, well, we _do _have a few qi pao that can work. Here." Haruna grabbed her hand again and led her a few racks down. They were a bit more manageable, about 500 or less. "You look pretty good in red, sooooo-" she broke off, and all but disappeared between the fabrics as she searched. "Oh, here. Look." She proffered the dress up for inspection. It was... admittedly, a bit risque, with a slit at the thigh up to the hip, and it looked like it would be a bit form-fitting.

"I don't k-"

Haruna boldly rolled her eyes as she shoved the dress at the girl and pushed her towards the dressing room. "Go on," she called.

Charlie made a face as she glanced down at the dress in her hands. It really wasn't appropriate, but if she wore some spandex shorts underneath maybe?

She put it on with little relish in the little dressing room, pausing for only a moment to check it out in the full-length mirror. As she suspected, it was near skin-tight, showing off the curves that she didn't have and way too much leg. She flushed. "Um, Haruna-san, this isn't going to work."

Haruna poked her head in, and made a face. "Not curvy enough. Try this one." She threw another dress at her, this one a deep burgundy. It had the same style, though it was thankfully longer and had a floral detail near the collar.

Alas, too baggy. "It's too big," Charlie pouted as she exited the room. Haruna tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Okay. How abooooout..." She searched through the dresses again. "_This _one." It was green this time, and had a high collar with a center slit running a bit deep. Still, it looked like it _could _fit her, so she grabbed it anyway.

This time, she was relieved to see that she neither looked like she wore a potato sack, nor like she was a boy dressed like a girl. It still demonstrated how _not _curvy she was, but at least it had some extra padding in the chest area. And the slit didn't go near as high on her thigh. "This works," she said exiting the dressing room once again.

Amber eyes widened as she met the furious gaze of Akiko. '_She's my stalker?_' Charlie thought, and found herself slumping a little in relief. An angry Academy kid, she could deal with.

"**Be on your guard. I have a feeling this will end badly.**"

Charlie took a deep breath. "Oh, hey, Akiko-chan. What's wrong?" Something must've pissed her off bad for her to leave school. She definitely hadn't looked that angry this morning.

The girl flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. Her face was icy as she said, "I heard you were the one who got my ranking docked."

... That's all it was? Really? She could laugh, but instead, she deadpanned. "It was the right thing to do."

Akiko looked like she was about to murder her, and as Charlie's eyes followed her twitching hand as it made its way towards her kunai pouch, she thought that she just might want to. "You don't seem to _understand_, _Charlie-chan_. So I'll _help _you."

Her pale, thin fingers retrieved a single kunai, and she pointed it at her threateningly. "I'll make sure you won't make the same mistake twice."

* * *

**KyraKuran: It is a concern of mine as well. Obviously not going to be incorporating any sort of relations between Minato and Charlie while she is physically so young because that's just creepy. And wrong. But don't worry too much, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve ;) Thanks for your review!**

**orlha: Yes! I hope you will still put up with this fic even if it's MinatoxOC ^^' I will try not to make it too complicated lol! Thanks for your review!**

**zukushimika: He won! Yeah, I didn't want to bother to learn how to put a poll on my profile so I just did it here . Anyway, thanks for your review, I hope you enjoy this fic!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: The promised day.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 12**

Charlie scowled.

The girl in front of her, the _crazy ass _girl in front of her, waved her kunai tauntingly at her. That same Cheshire smile graced her thin lips as she said, "Why don't we go outside?"

"Why don't you put your kunai away before you make both of us look like idiots," Charlie retorted. Hazel eyes flashed to the corner of the room, where Haruna was ducking behind a purse display.

That was apparently the _wrong _thing to say, because Akiko's pale face flushed with her anger and she stomped forward until she could rest the knife against Charlie's throat. "I don't think you get it!" she hissed. "_Nobody _helps that little hellspawn! Do you know _why_?" She leaned closer, until Charlie could see the ice in her blue eyes, and said, "_Because he killed people_."

She reeled back and laughed. "Nobody wanted to tell us, but I don't know why. My parents didn't care, they told me straight out. Don't you feel stupid now? Don't you feel dumb, for helping him?!"

Charlie opened her mouth, but closed it again as the knife reappeared under her chin. "You should. You should feel really stupid, miss top-of-the-class." Then, Akiko shrugged, and holstered her kunai. "But hey, I'm a nice girl. I can let it slide. You are _new, _after all. You just have to do what I say, and climb right back down the ranks." Her smile turned ugly as she added, "And bring that demon down with you. I don't care how you do it."

'_Their hatred runs deeper than I thought_,' Charlie thought, lips turning down. It was sad. The only thing she was grateful for in this situation was the fact that she wasn't confronting _Naruto _about this.

"What's that look on your face? Huh?" Akiko blurted, drawing the redhead out of her own mind. She was scowling nastily again. "What's that look!"

Unbidden, Charlie's fingers felt her own face. She hadn't realized she'd been making a look, but..."It's pity. I pity you."

Akiko's mouth dropped open in shock, and as quick as lightning she pulled her knife again. "You _pity _me? _Me_?" she screeched, launching herself in her direction.

Charlie sidestepped, and grabbed the girl by her arm before she landed against the shelving of the wall behind her. A crash sounded as the two girls fell into a lock and tumbled to the ground. Charlie gritted her teeth as she wrestled the girl face-down below her. She squeezed her wrist until the knife dropped, and Akiko gasped in pain. "Yes, I pity you. Please stop," she added, holding the back of the girl's neck so she wouldn't be able to get up. With a fair bit of struggle, she restrained one arm behind her back. "I'm sorry your parents forced their hatred into you. It's sad."

"_I'll- I'll kill you!" _Akiko ground out, bucking with resumed fury.

"_Cut it out!_" Charlie shouted, digging her knees into the girl's sides. "I'm not letting you up until you calm down."

"Calm down! You just insulted my parents!"

"It's not an insult, it's the truth. I haven't met your parents yet, anyway. Maybe they're nice people. But they were selfish for telling you what they did, not to mention misguided. So I'm sorry you feel the way you do. But Naruto is my closest friend and I will never betray him, especially for a girl so reckless that she would pull a knife out in the middle of a store." Charlie glanced over her shoulder, where Haruna was cautiously rising to her feet. She cocked her head questioningly, but Charlie shook hers. She didn't need help.

Akiko was breathing heavily underneath her, but she had stopped trying to kick or punch her, so she called that a victory. "There's a reason he's always alone. You can't make me think like _you_. In fact, I pity _you _for being so stupid." Her laugh was a bit hollow. "Top of the class, hanging out with the dead last _murderer._"

That one made Charlie dig her nails in. Ignorance really tested her patience. "He's not dead last. In fact, he's managed to get higher up than you. Maybe if you talked _to _him instead of _about _him, you'd learn that he's actually a pretty smart guy, and sweet too." Akiko jerked under her, and she sighed. "You're... really not going to win this one, so you should probably chill. I already knocked your kunai away." The knife had slid halfway across the store and under some shelves, forgotten.

"I can't believe you think you can talk down to me, like you're some _adult_. Just because you're top of the class doesn't mean you're better than everyone else!" Akiko hissed. Charlie laughed a little- if only she knew how spot on she was.

"No, you're right, it doesn't. At least I embrace what I don't understand, which is more than I can say for you."

Akiko stiffened underneath her. "Just shut up and let me go."

Quirking her lips, Charlie loosened her grip. "I'm not going to try to change your views on him, because it's really not my place. But maybe your way of thinking is wrong, if it's led you to here. Besides," she said, letting go of the girl's arm and standing. Akiko quickly got her feet, glaring still. "If you want to be the top ranked kunoichi, all you have to do is work harder than I do. So that's on you."

Akiko's jaw popped a few times, but finally, she threw her hands up and stomped out of the store the same way she'd entered. The encounter had lasted only a few minutes, but it was emotionally exhausting.

"I'm sorry, Haruna-san. I didn't know that would happen," Charlie said, turning to bow to the employee.

The girl gave her a nervous chuckle. "Oh, i-it's okay, you didn't start it. Did... you still want that dress?"

Charlie blinked disbelievingly at her before the both of them dissolved into laughter.

* * *

In the end, Charlie bought the dress, and used the _incredibly meager _funds she had left on a pair of fancy shoes that she would never be caught dead in in public, as well as a small gift for Naruto. Overall, it was a successful outing... hopefully.

Charlie grimaced as she clenched the paper bag closer to her chest. '_I wonder how Akiko's gonna act tomorrow,' _she thought worriedly. She hoped the girl wouldn't change her target to Naruto. She, a full fledged adult (mostly), was way more willing to take the brunt of her anger.

Her lower lip jutted out childishly. And just when she thought she was making friends...

"**It's not like you to be that dry**," Minato said, though there was humor in his voice.

Charlie's gaze scanned the (now busy) shopping center, looking for a way around the mob of people as she said, '_It's just a glimpse into my true nature.' _The way opened up for her, and she sped through hurriedly, ducking under elbows and thankful, for once, for her short height. '_I'm the biggest jerk of all,_' she added.

"**The day I believe that is the day you stop attracting trouble," **he mumbled.

It must've been a bit prophetic, because once she'd reached the end of the street and turned onto a lesser, empty street, her eyes landed on the one person she wanted to avoid for the day. Or the week. Her eyebrows unwittingly pulled together. '_You jinxed us. I take it back, _you're _the biggest jerk._'

Kakashi gave her an eye smile as he stowed his book under his arm, a feat seldom witnessed by just anyone. He approached her casually, waving a hand. "Hey, Charlie-chan," he greeted.

'_He's gonna realize my chakra feels different, Minato,_' she thought, panicking just a little as she grinned up at him. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei! Sorry for missing our meeting yesterday, I was ill."

"**Play it off for now. He won't bring it up to you,**" Minato suggested, though she could feel his anxiety rising along with hers.

The silver-haired jounin shrugged it off. "No worries, Naruto-kun told me. We can meet more often now that my mission's complete, by the way. Naruto and I were talking about perhaps this Friday?"

While it warmed her heart that he was talking to Naruto enough that they'd been able to make plans, it also set a very close deadline. "Oh, um, maybe. What did you guys go over while I was gone?"

"Tree walking, is all. We'll probably be continuing that on Friday, as Naruto couldn't really get it last time. Up for the challenge?"

She managed a smile. "Perhaps. I may want to focus on nailing the Academy taijutsu style, though- I want to be able to move on to further styles afterwards."

Kakashi looked dubious, and she couldn't exactly blame him. What kid didn't want to learn how to use ninjutsu?

They said their goodbyes and continued on their way, moving in opposite directions. As soon as he was out of sight, Charlie blanched. '_Minato, I need to be able to use your chakra by Friday,_' she said worriedly.

"**We'll have to skip out on the training grounds tonight. We can focus on that instead. There's a chance you'll be able to use mine, after all,**" Minato said, also sounding a bit concerned.

She was beginning to regret her quest to befriend that too-perceptive scarecrow. But there was nothing she could do now.

The rest of her walk home was spent in pensive silence. She didn't want Kakashi to get any more suspicious than he already was if it turned out she couldn't use chakra- but at the same time, she was scared to try it. She didn't want to be stuck in her own head again. That time she'd spent in there had been all but tortuous on her mental health, she couldn't imagine going through it again.

Naruto was home by the time she arrived, as the Academy had let out about a half hour prior.

Well, when she said _home_...

"Naru-chan, isn't breaking and entering a crime?" Charlie asked conversationally as she slid her shoes off in the genkan. The paper bag was dropped unceremoniously by her feet.

The blond boy was polite enough to give her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I wanted to see you. And the door was unlocked..." he said.

Charlie grimaced; that wasn't really an excuse. _She _didn't really mind it if the kid walked in, but if he tried it on someone else they probably wouldn't be as kind. Despite her circumstances, she had very little to hide- in fact, the only things she was in possession of were clothes, toiletries, and food. No knick-knacks, toys, pictures, jewelry- nothing of value. Though it did concern her that he'd said the door was un-

"The door was unlocked?" Charlie asked, brow furrowing. She'd locked it this morning, and though their locks were admittedly shitty, they did the job. The door wouldn't have just... unlocked itself.

Naruto gave her a weird look. "Yeah?"

"...When did you get here?"

"Five minutes ago, why?"

Charlie swallowed a little as she joined him on the couch, sitting cross-legged. Who had been in her apartment, then? '_Minato, you don't... sense anyone, do you?'_

"**No. You two are alone.**"

Well, that at least was a relief. Hazel eyes focused on the kid beside her. "Naruto, why don't you make yourself a snack? I'm gonna go to the bathroom," she said, and abruptly leaped from the couch to rush behind a closed door. She sat on the closed toilet seat and ran an anxious hand through her hair.

'_Who the hell was in here? Did they take anything? Did they _see_-'_

_"_**I got rid of everything after I read it, Charlie, you know that. There's nothing they could've found that would be strange. I'm more concerned about _who_."**

Who, yes. That was a valid concern. They had a span of about eight hours where they could've broken in and got out, and nobody would've known. '_Well, there are two big options here,_' she thought. '_One is Kakashi. Obviously he's suspicious of me, and he was heading kind of away from my apartment on our way to. If Naruto only got here five minutes ago, there's a chance he would've missed him._'

"**I would believe that, if I thought that Kakashi was negligent enough to leave the front door unlocked.**"

She pressed her lips together. He had a point. Kakashi would've never looked over something so trivial.

'_The other option is probably worse,_' she continued.

"**Danzou?**"

'_One of his cronies in ROOT, more likely. I don't think they would've cared if the door was locked or not when they left. They don't answer to the Hokage, and there's no way they'd be found out even if they did_.' Charlie didn't like to think about how much danger she was in from the village itself, but when she did, it made her stomach churn. What could she do? ROOT wasn't even supposed to exist anymore, how could Danzou be held accountable?

She sighed. Perhaps it was one of the situations that she would just have to grin and bear. Being stalked, broken into, watched at night- she hoped it would all abate soon. Eventually, hopefully, Danzou would grow tired of watching her do nothing but exist, and move on. Hopefully.

With a harsh swallow, Charlie stood and left the restroom a bit more weary than she'd been entering it. Naruto was sitting behind the coffee table with an uneaten pear in his hands, and he perked up upon her entrance. "Hey, Charlie, did you want to go training later?"

She gave a barely-there smile, unable to completely mask her worry as she said, "Sorry, Naru-chan. I have something important I have to do tonight. Tomorrow, okay?"

He pouted a little, but nodded. A good kid, he was.

To get rid of his sullen demeanor, she reached into the bag and pulled out his gift, hiding it behind her back surreptitiously. "Ne, Naruto, you're 11 now," she brought up, approaching him casually.

He took a bite of his pear and nodded nonchalantly.

"So I thought you would appreciate this. Since you're so close to graduating, and all." Charlie pulled out the paper-wrapped present from behind her back. She had asked the shopowner hurriedly if he'd wrap it, because she'd doubted Naruto had ever had the experience of unwrapping a present, and the man had done so with a raised eyebrow. It was just plain brown paper with some twine, but it still made her smile.

A slow grin spread across Naruto's face. "You got me something?!" he exclaimed, getting to his feet excitedly.

She rolled her eyes. "What friend would I be?" she chuckled, and handed it to him. He tore through the paper with exuberance, and hefted his new kunai in the air with relish. Far from being standard issue, this one had cost a pretty penny, and Minato had been saving as much as he could to buy it over the past month. It was made with damascus steel, the rippling appearance glinting in the light, and its grip was surrounded by thickly-bound ivory leather. The kanji for 'Will of Fire' were burned down the side.

Charlie smiled a bit nervously as she saw him examine it, but she slumped a little in relief as he all but launched himself at her. "Thank you! Thank you!" he cried, careful to hold the knife far from the both of them. She squeezed him tight, and rubbed his back a little as she felt him shake.

"You're welcome, Naruto," she replied cheerfully. She loved making this kid happy.

* * *

"**Are you ready?**" Minato asked cautiously.

Charlie leaned her head back until it clunked against the table behind her. It was night now, and Naruto had long been sent away to train on his own that night (indoors, as he didn't need to be out and about on October 10th). The blinds were drawn, and she had triple checked the door and windows, as well as turning off all the lights. It looked like she was getting ready to perform a seance rather than to attempt to use chakra again.

Truthfully, she _wasn't _ready. The notion of things going wrong again scared the hell out of her, and if that new seal didn't succeed in holding Minato back, they would have to embark on another long journey to get her back to normal.

Or as normal as she could qualify as, given the circumstances.

Charlie rubbed her forehead anxiously. '_I guess I don't have the luxury of being 'ready',' _she mumbled. The sheet of chakra paper was sat in front of her knees, looking about as innocent as a cat would right before slashing your eye out. Wincing, she picked it up between her thumb and forefinger as though it would do just that.

"**You don't have to do it if you're scared,** **Charlie,**" Minato said, though she knew he didn't really mean it. She _did_ have to, and the sooner she did the closer she'd be to changing the future. Refusing to because of fear of the unknown was not within her rights.

Hadn't she just told Akiko that she embraced what she didn't understand?

Gulping, she closed her eyes, forehead crinkling as she tried to concentrate. Many times in the past, before she'd lost her seat as driver, Minato had told her what to look for- something like heat, something like energy. She imagined his would feel like a breeze in your hair, or the rippling of a wave approaching the shore.

"**You know what to do,**" her friend encouraged. He meant meditation, which she had done a lot over the course of her two months here. It was familiar, to descend into that slow, steady breathing pattern, to gently wish away all of her thoughts and focus on balancing herself.

That didn't make it easy, of course. It took her longer than she liked to admit to bring herself to that state- it was still unnatural for a brain so used to chugging along to suddenly apply the brakes. Then again, it usually did.

When she focused, really focused, she could sometimes sense more about herself than she usually could. She could feel the hard wood of the floor beneath her, the way it dug into her ankles. She could taste the air she breathed in, could feel the chill it brought to her lungs. She could feel her heart beating ceaselessly in her chest, and the thrumming of the blood that flowed through her, bringing warmth to her fingers and toes.

It was easy to forget where she was, or what she was doing, when she was so preoccupied with existing. Nothing really mattered, not even time. She could hear the clock ticking on the wall above her, and yet it meant nothing to her but noise. She could feel the vent above her blowing air onto the crown of her head, and yet as it buffeted her hair against her face, she didn't feel the urge to brush it away. What did she care if it tickled her skin? She wasn't her body anyway, she was _more_.

All meaning was lost, and as she found herself standing in the middle of her mental labyrinth again, she couldn't find it in herself to care.

Her eyes opened slowly, and she glanced around. It was strange, really- quite empty. Her mind palace was usually full to bursting of TVs playing old cartoons, books, pets she'd had, friends she'd played with. Old trinkets that held the stories she so often relived during her time here. Here, though, was empty of everything but her and the dank walls around her. It was dimmer than usual, and looked more like the Parisan Catacombs this time. The air was stale, yet moist and cold, just like the stone under her bare feet.

If she yelled, she'd probably hear an echo.

She walked forward, towards the darkness that lied beyond her vision. Charlie was always the _curious _one, the one who _needed to know_, and rather than feeling a bit perturbed by the dark recesses of her mind that she'd never stepped into, she felt intrigued.

Charlie held a hand over her heart, feeling it beat in her chest. It was beating faster now, and her mind supplied that it was usually a sign of stress or fear. She wasn't afraid though. She still wasn't afraid. She would walk into the darkest parts of her mind, the parts she'd never explored yet, and she would cast light into every corner.

The darkness surrounded her as she walked past the edge of light that old passage had left. Now, all that was left was her, the wall she used to guide her way, and the chill that settled over her. Questions piled onto each other as she continued her dark descent. Where was this? How had she never been here before? Why was it so cold?

The air got thicker around her, and she opened her mouth to catch more of it. It was closer to being underwater than being underground, now. She wasn't in the Catacombs, she was in the Mission Impossible movie, where Tom Cruise had to complete his mission underwater while running out of oxygen.

Still, the strange feeling that was coming over her wouldn't allow fear to prickle at her mind. Something was nudging her on, whispering, '_go deeper, go further, just a little more'._ She could sense something at the end of this long, long hallway. Its presence grew stronger as she grew closer, overwhelming everything, overwhelming the need to breath or to think.

It felt like the breaking of day, like ozone and spring.

It felt like falling over a cliff, knowing you'll somehow catch yourself before the ground does.

It felt like waves buffeting you when you stray too far from the shore, and the panic that ensues trying to return.

It felt like the stillness of a pond, the buzzing of crickets and the croaking of toads.

It felt like running through a forest barefoot, ignoring the pain of stepping on loose bark and stones and sticks in favor of running, running, _running_.

She_ was _running, she realized, because she couldn't breathe. The passageway felt so _empty_, so unlike her, so _dark_. She wasn't scared, no, but she wanted- she wanted-

It was a door she came to, or more like a gate. The gate to a fortress. It stood tall, much taller than her, and she could barely make it out. The gold of the handle gleamed back at her, and without a second thought, she flung it open, hoping it would finally grant her _air_.

It didn't just give her air. It gave her light, too. The sudden assault of light, of breath, flung her onto her back, and she gazed above her in wonder as it clung to every last corner of the dark tunnel. It bathed everything in its golden hued _light_, the brightest thing she'd ever seen. Just like the sun, she couldn't bear to look at it longer than a moment.

Her eyes closed.

* * *

**A challenger: Thank you for your kind words and review! I hope you liked the chapter.**

**pigs103: I'm sorry if you were disappointed with the way the poll turned out :( I'm glad you've decided to stick with it :D I promise I'm not going to let anything get creepy that's the opposite of my intentions. I hope you will enjoy this fic regardless my friend!**

**Lyrigami: You're very right. I have a feeling this is going to be a monster fic just bc I'm following relatively closely to the plotline, but it'll be really interesting moving forward. As for whether she'll be chakraless, I think there's a good potential for that to happen- it would be an interesting plot point. I always imagined that _she _was his tether to the world, and should they separate, that half of him that's still with the Shinigami would become part of him again (along with Kurama). We shall see! Thank you for your reviews and support, hope you enjoyed this update!**

**The Magus Killer: Ah our Obito :( I hope you don't mind, and that I do him justice later on. And Kushina as well, she's adorable and also my favorite anime mom even though she doesn't get much screen time. Thank you for your continued support!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello! I hope you enjoy this update. I'm not too sure about it to be frank. I feel like I'm rushing her development, though I guess it makes sense to to prepare for the main storyline. Ah, who knows. **

**Without further adieu:**

**Chapter 13**

_"Hey. Charlie," the boy whispered, leaning over his desk and into her airspace. A small, mercurial grin curled the corners of his lips._

_Charlie's eyebrow ticked. She brushed a stray curl of hair out of her face to make way for the stern stare she'd give him. "What?" she asked. "You're too close."_

_Jeremy Anderson sighed and rolled his eyes as he leaned back the barest amount. Satisfied, Charlie turned her gaze to the professor at the front of the room. They were discussing necrotizing fasciitis, and even though the pictures on the Powerpoint were disgusting, it was still an interesting lecture. She couldn't keep the grimace from her face as she made a not-so-great sketch of one of the wounds in her notebook. She never needed to take notes, but writing (or doodling) always helped to keep her engaged._

_"I was gonna ask if you wanted to go study in the library later," Jeremy said crossly. He peered at her out of the corner of his eye._

_"You know I don't need to study," Charlie retorted, "so why ask?"_

_He took a big breath in through his nose, and didn't reply. His body leaned in the other direction._

_Charlie shaded the crude picture she'd drawn. Necrotizing faciitis turned the skin black with decay, after all._

* * *

_She sat alone again._

_Charlie's forehead crinkled as she stared down at the book. It was... boring, she had to admit. She really didn't care much for public speaking, though apparently it was a required course here and so she'd had to shuck out $70 just for this piece of work._

_One didn't need public speaking when one was going to become a doctor. Tact, maybe, but she would never be talking to a crowd of people unless she attended some sort of symposium. And she hated those._

_Her eyes flitted up from the printed words to scan the room around her. The library at her school was three stories, and she was on the top level- the quietest, or so it was rumored. People gathered in groups here all the time, though, and so discussions broke out frequently. A mild irritant for those looking for some peace and quiet, like her._

_Before she could turn back to her book, she noticed Jeremy scaling the stairs. He was alone as well, which was an anomaly- unlike her, he actually invested his time in friends, in a social life. She suspected that was why he was trying to 'crack her shell'. '_Let him try,_' she thought, turning her page and pretending she hadn't seen him. He'd been trying for the better part of the semester._

_She caught the inside of her cheek with her teeth as she heard his footsteps drawing closer to her. It wasn't that she didn't like him as a person- in fact, he seemed pretty nice. But the idea of someone showing interest in her, any at all, was terrifying. And she wasn't interested, not one bit. She had her priorities, and none of them involved romance. Or friendship. Whichever- she couldn't tell what he was after anymore._

_"Charlie," he stage-whispered. She coulid see the toes of his shoes in her periphery._

_The redhead sighed, glancing up at him. "Yes?"_

_"I thought you said you didn't need to study?" he asked. It probably wasn't a real question. His dark brown eyes were glinting with mirth._

_"I don't. This is new." She held the book up for inspection. _

_"Well, then I'll read with you." He dropped to his knees, and began rifling through his book bag for what she presumed to be his own textbook._

_Charlie grit her teeth. "Jeremy, look, I appreciate you trying to be my friend and all, but-"_

_He stopped, and his head snapped up to look at her. "But what? You're too busy?" An eyebrow raise expressed his disbelief. "You do nothing but schoolwork. It's not a crime to have fun once in a while."_

_Her face flushed, embarrassed and a little peeved. "Having friends isn't fun, it's distracting." Such as he was doing right now._

_She saw his jaw jump as his hands fisted the fabric of his backpack. "You know," he bit out, "despite the fact that I have_ friends_, I still have a high GPA. And I guarantee that I'm a lot_ happier _than you." Then he was walking away, zipping the backpack up again as he went as though he couldn't bear to waste any more time by her side._

_Charlie's nails dug into the soft cover of the book in her hands. Her teeth dug into her cheek hard enough to pull blood. He'd never looked at her like that before. Guilt curled her stomach uncomfortably._

_Happier, he'd said. _

* * *

_It had taken her a year to forget about Jeremy._

_Well. She could never really_ forget _anything, but she... she moved on. He didn't try to talk to her after that day, didn't bother sitting next to her again, and for a long while she supposed it was for the better._

_She was alone again, just as she always was, and she didn't really think anything was wrong with that. Except... something was. _

_She knew something was. It didn't take an eidetic memory to figure out that she wasn't feeling the way she was supposed to. For her entire life, she had been convinced it was just because she was _different_. Strange, somehow, and so things weren't the same for her as they were for other people. It was lonely on her pedestal._

_Yet for that whole year his words rang in her head, clear as a bell. That he was happier than her. The questions she asked herself never ceased. What about other people made him happier than being alone? Did _she _feel lonely? Would she be happier if she had friends around her?_

_She thought about it endlessly. Even as she took the long way around campus to avoid running into people she shared classes with, and emailed when she absolutely _had _to talk to them, she wondered. Why was he so happy surrounding himself with other people? _

_And then she'd forgotten about it, about him. No, it wasn't that. It wasn't that she forgot. It was just that she didn't want to worry about it anymore. She didn't want to think about how lonely she must've seemed to everyone else, how pitiful they probably thought of her. It was better to just buckle down and do the work. _

_So she did. She dulled her thoughts until they revolved around school, and school only. She joined student organizations for the prestige, networked with important people to ease her way in the future, and surrounded her heart in barbed wire. He had hurt her with his words, that day. She wouldn't let it happen again._

_Perhaps she would've been content to hide away from everyone for the rest of her life if things had turned out differently. _

_Somehow, though, she had been chosen for a different story, a different place, and a different life. If she had known how much love_ that_ kid could make her feel, how much admiration she could hold in her heart for_ that _man_,_ if she had _known_-_

_She would've been happier sooner. She would've let people in sooner. Jeremy would've been her friend, instead of her regret._

* * *

It had been days.

Naruto stood worriedly outside the doors of Charlie's hospital room, holding his elbows and pacing. The same thing he'd been doing since he'd brought her here, panicked, the day after his birthday. She hadn't answered the door, so this time, he'd busted it down. He hadn't felt right about leaving her there that night, something had felt off, her expressions had felt off.

He had been right, and he should've trusted his gut.

The medics had wrestled her body from him the moment he'd entered the hospital. They had thought _he__'d _done it, until he'd finally got the words out. He didn't know who'd done it. He didn't know if she'd done it herself.

All he knew was, Charlie was in a coma. And it had been days.

They had told him that she'd be alright, but he didn't know if they really believed that. Even _they _had puzzled looks on their faces. They wrote copiously in her chart, but never let him see, and never left it where he could access it.

The Hokage had stopped by, which had been a surprise. All he'd done was stare forlornly at her and grip her hand, before leaving. There was something in his expression that set Naruto's teeth on edge. He knew something.

Kakashi had also stopped by yesterday, to Naruto's surprise. It wasn't Friday yet, but Naruto was glad to see him anyway, until all he did was brush past him with a head pat, stare at the girl a moment, make a weird expression, and leave. He knew something, too.

Neither of them would tell Naruto squat, and it was beginning to piss him off.

So there he was, resigned to pacing agitatedly until she awoke. The medics had said she would awaken soon, but then again, they'd said that two days ago, and today was day four. '_Just a case of chakra exhaustion_,' they told him. Then, they changed it to, '_she just had a blocked chakra passageway. We cleared it up._' Then, it was, '_her body's just creating too much chakra. Give it a few days to level out._' How did that even _happen_?

Naruto entered the room again to check on her, the tenth time that day. He had been forced to go to school all that week, but the rest of the time he'd spent in her hospital room. Some of the nicer medics had given him some food to eat, seeing as he never left her side. Still, his stomach was about to eat itself.

"You better wake up soon," he said aloud to her, purposely slamming the door closed behind him in an attempt to scare her awake. It didn't work, not that he'd thought it would- comas weren't naps. Sometimes, you didn't wake up from comas. Sometimes, you stay in them forever.

Despite the situation, she looked really healthy. Her cheeks were just as rosy as they always were, her skin hadn't lost that healthy hue it always had. Her hair was just as shiny, and she didn't look like she'd lost any weight at all despite being tube-fed her nutrients.

He gripped her hand, and gaped at the _heat _it was letting off. He felt her forehead, and recognized that yes, she definitely had a fever. That was new.

Swallowing nervously, Naruto went back out into the hall to hail down a medic. He finally caught one, who looked rushed and very much like he didn't want to be there. The man felt her temperature, and just sighed. "Yeah, she's pretty hot," he said. "Help me get her into an ice bath."

The two of them dragged her into the bathroom and set her in the tub, turning the water on the coldest setting possible and letting it run over her. "I'll be back with ice," the medic said, giving a suffering sigh as he left the room.

Naruto glared at his retreating back. The guy may have had a lot of patients, but this was his _friend_, damn it!

The kunai she'd given him burned in his pocket. He hadn't had the chance to test it out yet, but now he realized he wanted her to be there for it.

The medic came back with a five gallon bucket loaded with ice, groaning with the strain of lifting it. Naruto had little pity as, without ceremony, the man dumped the ice directly into the tub. It swirled chaotically around her as he shoved the majority of her body into the water, leaving her face free to breathe. Naruto could've swore he saw her hand twitching, but maybe it was just his imagination.

No, no, _there_. He'd seen it that time, he was sure of it. "Hey, look, her hand's moving!" he shouted excitedly, pointing down at the submerged hand.

"It's probably just reacting to the change in temperature," the medic explained, at least semi-gently.

Naruto scowled. She was waking up, he knew it.

They left her in the ice bath for ten minutes, and once her temperature had cooled down, pulled her out. She was sopping wet, and the medic made him wait outside while he toweled her off and changed her gown. Her hair was still dripping beads of water on the floor by the time he emerged with her.

As soon as the man put her down, he unlocked her medical chart from the cabinet above her head and started writing in it. "Hey! What's wrong with her!" Naruto exclaimed, marching forward. "No one's been telling me anything, all they do is scribble on that piece of paper and lock it away again!"

He wanted answers, but by the firm glance the older man gave him, he wouldn't be getting them. "Because it is private information you don't need to know," he said coldly.

"She's my friend! My only friend! So I _do _need to know!"

The medic merely scoffed at him and locked the clipboard away again. "If you're not mother, father, brother, or sister, you don't need to know anything. Let me know if she gets warm again." And then he left, marching out with the same hustle he'd had marching down the hall earlier.

Anger bared its ugly face in his heart, and Naruto crossed his arms. If they wouldn't tell him, he'd find someone who _would_.

* * *

"What do you think is happening right now?"

"I don't know. Naruto's probably losing his mind. I feel bad for making him worry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

"It kind of was. This is what I get for going where I don't belong."

"Of course you belong. It's yours to take."

"It doesn't feel that way. I can't control that. How could I possibly..."

"I managed it."

"I don't think you get that an 11-year-old body can't handle that much chakra."

"Eleven?"

"I think so. It's definitely been a few days. My birthday's the 13th."

"I didn't know."

"It's fine, now you do."

"Happy maybe-birthday, Charlie."

"Thanks."

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen was addressing a group of ANBU when he felt the boy's presence angrily stomping up the stairs. He hurriedly dismissed them, adjusted his haori, and had just managed to sit in his seat before Naruto stormed in.

"What's wrong with Charlie?" he demanded instantly, not even bothering to address him- by Ojii-san, Hokage-sama, or otherwise.

Sarutobi blinked. "What do you mean?"

The animated kid squinted at him, crossing his arms and puffing his chest as though he were about three feet taller and a hundred pounds heavier. "She's sick, and nobody will tell me what with."

He had hoped that the girl would wake up before Naruto started to bang around asking for answers. It would save him from having to explain her situation and worry him further. But there wasn't much else he could do. Charlie was sick, there was no denying it, and there was nothing, virtually nothing they could do about it.

Though, they didn't call him the Professor for nothing. He had already prepared an explanation for the boy, and it was the same explanation he'd given to the staff at the hospital. Close enough to the truth to be workable, but leaving out all the details. "Charlie-chan is allergic to chakra," he explained shortly.

It wasn't an _allergy_, or at least, not exactly. It was more like there had been an unforseen link between Minato's chakra system and Charlie's. Somehow, someway, the girl had managed to open the barrier keeping their systems separate. Nobody understood the details, not even Sarutobi himself, but that's what Inoichi had seen. Minato's chakra was overwhelming Charlie's dead system, a system which reacted violently to being activated.

He was glad that she was asleep. He had no doubt that it was extremely painful.

The boy frowned at him. "Allergic? What do you mean? She uses chakra all the time."

The Hokage sighed, shaking his head. "There's a reason for that. Her regular amount of chakra pains her, but as it keeps building, it overloads her system. Charlie-chan didn't use her chakra enough to keep it down, and it overwhelmed her." That was mostly a lie. Sarutobi had no doubt that Minato's chakra would be painful to her once she _did _wake up, but using it wouldn't help it go away.

She would have to deal with it. At least until her system got used to it- _if _it got used to it. He hoped it would.

"Then how come the people at the hospital couldn't just tell me that?" Naruto asked, scowling. "If that's all it was, why was it a secret?"

The Hokage pressed his lips together. "Well, because they didn't want to worry you further. It's up to her to wake up, and she's been physically fine for days."

That, _that _was the truth.

* * *

"Do you see anything?"

"No, not really. I can hear you, but that's it."

"I can see."

"_You _can? How come? Are my eyes open?"

"No, I can't see the room or anything. Just you."

"Like... looking down at me?"

"No. Not like your face, or your body. It's more like..."

"Like what?"

"Like your soul. Maybe. It feels just like you."

"Huh? What do I feel like?"

"Like... like the first warm day after a season of snow."

"That's poetic."

"You turned red."

"Huh?"

"Your soul, it looks like... like a galaxy, like a fog of stars. It changes color. Right now it just turned red."

"I don't think I like that you can see my soul, Minato."

"It's less seeing with my eyes and more like... I don't know. Experiencing."

"You make no sense. And it's still weird."

"Weird? Why weird? It's _beautiful_."

* * *

Kakashi came to the hospital on Friday and dragged him out of the room.

Not just out of the room. He dragged him, kicking and screaming, all the way to his apartment, and forced him to take a shower. Then, he forced him to have dinner. Then, he forced him to training grounds #8.

"How'd you know about this place? Only Charlie and I go here," Naruto said, glaring crossly at his new sensei. Saying her name sent a pang to his heart, but he'd done it without thinking.

The jounin just shook his head. "Doesn't matter. It's time to train." His voice was stony, and if Naruto could ever see beyond that stupid mask of his, his face probably was too.

"I don't want to train. Not without her."

The older man winced. "You've done it before."

"That was before she was _dying_."

"She's not dying. Stop making excuses and work, I'm not getting paid to let you sit in your own filth and wait for the future. Now _move_." Kakashi disappeared, which meant that Naruto needed to act quickly before he'd be flat on his back.

He ran towards a nearby tree, scaling it as quickly as he could. His tree walking still wasn't really up to par- oftentimes, he ended up breaking the tree by forcing too much chakra- but he managed to scale it with minimal chakra, and hid in the shade of the leaves. The day was quickly giving way to night, but he still would need to use the shadows to his advantage.

"You're not hiding your chakra," Kakashi said from behind him, and kicked him off his perch.

Naruto cursed, and managed to flail in the air so that he landed feet-first on the ground. He glared up at where the jounin now stood, casually reading his book. "You never taught me that!" he exclaimed. "I didn't even know that was a thing!" It was true, he hadn't.

Kakashi's one visible eyebrow raised. "Oh? A secret your friend _didn't _teach you, huh? That's too bad." Then, he was shunshinning again. Naruto cursed and grabbed an army of shuriken from his pouch, resolving to be on the defensive. There was no way he could beat this guy. He'd just let him exhaust himself.

Though evidently, Kakashi wasn't interested in that turn of events. As soon as it became apparent that Naruto was just poofing his clones away, ducking, and hiding, he suppressed his chakra, snuck up behind him, and gave him his famed '1000 years of pain' jutsu.

Naruto hit the ground face-first, clutching his ass. "Bastard!" he bit out, groaning. He stood slowly, wiping the dirt from his cheek. What was this guy's deal? Why was he so pissed off? "Did you drag me out here just to beat me up?!"

Kakashi stood a few meters away with his arms crossed. Though his finger held the space in his book, he wasn't reading it this time. "No, I dragged you out here to train. You haven't been training all week. So this is your payment."

Naruto scowled. "You know damn well why I haven't been training!"

"Which is why I'm here now to rectify things." Before Naruto could ask what 'rectify' meant, he was made to sit and stay still. "Since we agreed to work on chakra control this time round, I suppose the sparring can wait. But next time around, I won't be so kind."

Naruto opened his mouth to sass him back, but closed it. He really didn't want to be on the butt end of Kakashi's wrath again.

"So let's work on tree walking instead. Ne?" Ever unaffected, the jounin gave him an eye-smile.

He could kill him.

So that's what they did. Long into the night, for much longer than any regular kid probably could've, Naruto practiced tree walking. Kakashi was nice enough to stay that time and coach him, though most of the time he just read his book and chuckled every time Naruto fell down.

He was making progress though, the blond thought optimistically. To his surprise, he had managed to get to the highest branches. The problem he faced mainly revolved around sticking upside down, which Kakashi had demonstrated to him many a time with no issue. It bugged him greatly that he couldn't reign in his chakra like Kakashi could, even if Charlie had said he had abnormally large reserves.

As he made the last cut in the bark, after walking calmly yet swiftly up the trunk, he tried his level best to walk down the same way he walked up. It was harder that way. Gravity wanted him to either run down, or fall flat to the ground below, yet he wanted to move slow.

Unfortunately, his exhaustion won over him, and his control over his chakra slipped enough to disconnect him from the tree about halfway down.

Fortunately, his teacher was at the base, and caught the back of his shirt about a foot before he reached the ground. Naruto gasped, flailing a little in his shock, before Kakashi unceremoniously dropped him. He met the earth with a thump, though thankfully it wasn't as painful a fall as it could've been.

"Thanks," Naruto said grudgingly as he sat up and wiped the concentration sweat from his forehead. If he wasn't a master at controlling his chakra after this, he'd ask for his money back.

Kakashi smiled that weird smile again, and Naruto couldn't decide if it was fake or not. "Feel better?"

Naruto set his jaw as an embarrassed flush crossed his face. He itched the back of his neck as he said, "I feel fine."

"It's okay to worry about your friends, you know," Kakashi said suddenly, as he started moving to the exit and gestured Naruto to follow.

"I know it is!" Naruto defended immediately.

"But you also need to think about what _they _want. Charlie-chan wouldn't like you not showering or eating or sleeping just to sit at her bedside and wait for her to wake up." Kakashi's footsteps halted as he glanced over his shoulder to see Naruto's reaction.

The blond glared. "What do you care about what she wants? You only came once," he said, accusatory. "Do you even know her?"

"I know enough to know that you're one of the only people here that she cares about. I'm doing her a favor here. So don't let her down, 'kay?" His eye crinkled. "Oh, and by the way... good job today."

Then he was walking, with nothing more than a wave, and Naruto was standing there trying to decipher what he'd just said.

* * *

"Charlie?"

"Hm?"

"I think you should probably wake up now."

"Why? It's nicer here."

"Be that as it may, I think my son is getting rather impatient."

"How do you know?"

"Call it a sixth sense."

"...I'm not going to bother explaining to you the fallacy in that statement."

"Just wake up, would you?"

"Whatever. I guess I'll try."

* * *

Her hand was twitching again.

Naruto leaned forward, grabbing it into his own and squeezing tightly. "Wake up already, wouldja?" he grumbled. Today marked day five- it was now Sunday, and he would damned if she didn't wake up before classes started up again. He'd already been forced to take notes for her.

He didn't think it would work- it didn't work the past 65 times he did it- but she indeed started groaning, and her eyes moved behind their lids. "Charlie! Get up!" he exclaimed, shooting out of his chair.

Her hand squeezed his tight enough that he tore himself free, grumbling a little and holding it to his chest. He was about to protest when he saw her forehead crinkle and her mouth turn down. She made a small whimper of pain and her head tossed to the side. "Charlie?"

Amber eyes fluttered open halfway. "Charlie, are you okay?" Naruto asked, leaning forward.

She blinked a few times, then opened her mouth. "Water," she croaked. The blond rushed to the bathroom, grabbing a cup and filling it before quickly returning it to her. She drank deeply.

"Feel...on fire," Charlie said, a weird expression on her face. She held her hands up to her face to check if she really wasn't.

Naruto reached to check her temperature, and found it high again. Pulling his hand back from her forehead, he started to say that he was going to get a medic, but stopped. She was out again.

He went and got the medic.

* * *

Charlie woke up three more times before she could stay awake.

It was an emotional whirlwind for the blond boy, who could frustratingly do nothing but get her water and try to talk to her each time she rose. The first couple times she opened her eyes, she didn't seem to comprehend what he was saying to her- all she did was ask for water, then conk out again. The third time, she was aware long enough to give him a weak smile before her expression flattened and she looked dangerously close to passing out again.

"Chaaaarlie. Hey!" Naruto called, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. She winced at his grip, hazel eyes opening again. "Stay up this time, would ya?" he grumbled, letting her fall back to the bed. There was nothing physically wrong with her, besides her chakra, so he figured it safe to do so.

She blinked uncomprehendingly before saying, "Mn... this time...?" Her eyebrows furrowed curiously.

Naruto sighed, reaching to her bedside to grab the pitcher and cup he'd just filled. He felt like a nurse. "You keep going back to sleep."

Charlie took the water he offered her greedily, and didn't seem to mind the drips of it that darkened her hospital gown as she chugged. "S'hot," she whined when she was finished. Her legs pushed the blankets over her waist down to the base of the bed.

Naruto laughed internally. He wasn't used to Charlie whining like that, like a little kid. It wasn't really hot in the room, but he figured her words had something to do with what she'd said earlier, that she was on fire. He wondered if it had something to do with her chakra allergy.

He didn't really understand that. Chakra allergies. How could a person be allergic to something inside them? It was like being allergic to... to, like, your liver or something. He supposed it didn't have to make sense to _him_, but... "I didn't know you had a chakra allergy," he couldn't help but say.

Charlie's expression changed slowly to confusion, then to acceptance. She just shrugged, and glanced around the room with dazed eyes. "How long have I...?"

"A few days," Naruto replied.

"Oh." Charlie stretched her arms out in front of her, then behind her head as she did her best to sit up. Then, she gave him a small grin. "I missed you."

She held her arms out for him, and he was more than willing to lunge into the hug.

* * *

**Bisque-Ware: Maybeeee!**

**Guest: Thanks dude! I appreciate it :D**

**Lyrigami: We shall see, I do believe fuuinjutsu needs chakra to activate though :P **

**Kay Starlight: Baby Naru is my favorite human uwu. And to answer your chakra question, I don't want to spoil anything- so who knows? Thanks for your review!**

**nashmeira: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it, hope you enjoyed this one.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Apologies for the long break. I've had a healthy bit of writer's block for this story, which wasn't wholly unexpected (I _did _say this story would be updated randomly ;)), so I do hope you'll forgive me. Also sorry for how short this chapter is- I wanted to get something out so you all would know that I'm still alive. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 14**

Charlie was allowed to leave the hospital that night.

It had taken little strong arming. Apparently, the day she woke up, a failed mission had landed about six shinobi in the hospital- they needed all the beds they could get. So she was sent home with a hurried 'drink a lot of fluids' and a pat on the back.

She felt... different.

She felt warm.

Minato hadn't said much since she'd woken, but she sensed him hovering worryingly around her. She suspected he was waiting for her to collapse or something. Amusingly, his son was doing the exact same thing, focusing big blue eyes on her every half second as they walked home that evening. He had brought her a blanket from home, and she thought it was sweet enough that she didn't even scold him for breaking in.

Subtly, and probably without intending to, the little blond had wormed his way into her heart. And so she lifted a hand and set it on his head, ruffling the crazy spikes with a grin. Naruto's happy smile made the pain worth it.

Speaking of pain. It wasn't what she had expected it to be. It didn't hurt the way a cut would, the way she expected it to. It didn't feel exactly like fire, definitely not as strong as it was when she'd first woken up if memory served. But it was warm, so warm, and foreign. Her entire body felt electric. She had almost expected herself to be curled up in pain in bed right now, and yet she still had control of all of her facilities.

It was as painful as it was... invigorating. If she had to describe it, it was similar to the feeling she'd gotten that day, when she first got pulled into this universe. It still prickled at her nerves, and she was hyperaware of the flow of energy through her body, but it felt more like she had Red Bull flowing through her veins.

She wondered if this was what Naruto felt like all the time. She could run a hundred miles on this energy alone. She could run a thousand.

Charlie slung her arm around her friend as they neared the apartment building. He was blabbing about something or other, but stopped as she glanced down at him with a raised eyebrow. A serious expression crossed over his face as his words stalled, jaw jutting out. If he wasn't so young, she probably would've straightened up a little. "Don't do that again," he said, frowning at her. She gave him a confused look. "_That_. Dangerous stuff. And not telling me about it. I _knew _there was something wrong that day, and you didn't tell me anything." _Now _came the pout.

The redhead sighed. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I just didn't think it would get that bad, that's all."

"Is there anything else I should know about?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. She smiled a little, shaking her head. "Then all is forgiven. I'm just-" he broke off, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "You're my friend. So..."

She ruffled his hair again. She just couldn't help it. "You're too cute, Naru-chan."

He blushed.

That night, after a long shower (she smelled awful, after all), she laid on her stomach in bed. Her face smushed into her pillow, and she let out a deep sigh. '_Minato?_' she voiced tentatively.

**"Yes?"**

'_Are you... okay?_' Charlie asked. She found herself doing that more often. Are you okay? Do you mind? Would you please? Did that make her more aware of him, or did she just feel indebted now that he'd returned her body to her?

As though he knew it- he probably knew it- she could feel the smile that lifted his lips. **"More than okay. I'm happy, Charlie. Are you?" **

Was she happy? That was the question, right? Was that what she was trying for now, happiness? Answers had always been what she strived for. Answers, understanding, anything to break the world into easily digestible lessons that made sense to a person like her.

But what could a person do, when there was nothing that could be done? Worrying would not bring her peace. Thinking would not bring her back home. Her brain would not solve her problem this time.

Perhaps that was what that Jeremy guy had meant. They were separated by worlds and by time, and yet, and yet... she remembered him still. She remembered his words. "_I guarantee I am happier than you_." He was happier than her then. He was happier than she was now.

So what could she do? What could she do but to make do?

'_Not yet_,' she answered him. But she thought that maybe she would try it out some time.

Charlie let her expression soften as she rolled onto her back and pulled the covers past her nose. She had spent so much time worrying, planning, _thinking_. But she was here, now. She had a _purpose. _Despite the odds, despite all the drama that had encompassed her in the past two months- she was _alive_. She was in control now, and with any luck, her chakra problem was solved.

So as she closed her eyes and drifted off, it was with a smile. The smile said, '_I'm here, now. It took me a long time, but I'm here to stay._'

What more could a person do, but to be happy things had turned out okay?

* * *

The following weeks passed in a blur.

Charlie was attending school regularly, now. She dressed for her kunoichi classes on the days she had them, and wore her boring old ninja gear on days she didn't. She made a hearty breakfast every morning, shared it with her friend, and walked with him to school every day. She trained until the sun shone its last rays on Konoha, until stars began to emerge above her. In private, she practiced using Minato's chakra, which felt foreign but thankfully not wrong.

She was not ready to use a jutsu. But she was comfortable.

The mild irritation of his chakra in her dead veins throbbed its last wisps of pain away mere days after her waking. Minato suspected that the majority of it passed while she was unconscious, something she was ever grateful for. Now, it felt like the cool air she breathed in every morning on her way to school.

In many ways, it felt as though fate or the universe was conspiring in her favor. Living this way was not easy, but it was not as difficult as it could've been. Something in her told her to hold her breath of relief in, and yet she couldn't help but feel as though a great storm had miraculously passed her by.

Two months passed.

She bought a new coat, as well as a thicker pair of pants, for herself and Naruto. The kid had never paid money for such a luxury, but as she stood frozen in her haori watching her breath cloud in the air, she resolved to take the plunge herself. If the kid had it his way, he would be wearing his usual short sleeved orange jacket with the blue sleeves every day, even on the ones when it snowed. (Well, it hadn't snowed _yet_, but she was sure he would if he got the chance).

Kakashi had all but given up on finding out her secrets. Not entirely, of course- he still grilled her from time to time about her backstory, her actions. Yet they grew weaker as time grew on, and he seemed to accept his fate as their sensei. He trained them relentlessly, now twice a week, and training did not stop for at least four hours. She hadn't passed out yet, but she was sure it would come eventually.

Despite his relative faithfulness in training them, it still seemed to her that he didn't really want to be there. He didn't disappear anymore, but he was far from actively engaged.

One day, towards the beginning of December, Charlie collapsed on the frozen ground with her heart pounding out of her chest. It had been a spar with him, as usual, and he had forced both of them to attack him at once. At her side, Naruto was panting roughly- down on one knee. Kakashi stood nonplussed a few meters away.

It was here, in this moment, that she decided to make Kakashi like them. She was, quite frankly, tired of him reading that stupid book while they were trying to train. "Kakashi-sensei, let's go out to eat," she said, limbs heavy with exhaustion. He probably wanted them to try again, but she was done.

The blond jinchuuriki beside her couldn't have been more pleased with the suggestion. "Hell yeah! Let's go to-"

"-Not Ichiraku's," Charlie said meaningfully, casting the boy a stern look, "how about yakiniku. Eh?"

Kakashi merely blinked. "Barbeque?"

"Yeah! You never go out to eat with us. So this time, you _have _to come," she said, finally mustering the strength to sit up. The world spun on its axis long enough to make her dizzy.

"Ah, I don't thin-"

Naruto, with his boundless energy, grabbed the man's wrist before he could shunshin away. "You're not getting away that easy,-ttebayo. C'mon, Charlie," Naruto grunted, still a bit out of breath but grinning.

Her stomach rumbled. Yeah, barbeque sounded good. She lurched to her feet, knees wobbling weakly under her as though she were a newborn fawn. They departed from training grounds #8 and walked towards town, Naruto talking animatedly about barbeque (at least it was _barbeque _this time, Lord knew she had heard enough about ramen) and Kakashi looking for all the world like someone had performed the 1,000 years of pain jutsu on him.

Charlie stick her cold hands into her pockets, grinning as she scuffled alone behind them.

The barbeque joint they chose to visit was booming with people- not surprising for a Friday night-but they were seated rather quickly. All Kakashi had to do was _look _at one of the waitresses, and she blushed and cleared a table faster than you could say 'smitten'. He sat across from them now, resting his chin in his palm as he glanced around nonchalantly. The loudness of the restaurant didn't seem to please him much, though then again he wasn't the type to give away his feelings.

Naruto, however, was bouncing in his seat. His wide grin made him look particularly foxlike as he said, "I've never been out to eat before!"

Charlie frowned at him. "Ichiraku's?"

"No, I mean like a sit-down place like this! It's nice!" Big blue eyes looked around in wonder. The redhead couldn't help but smile behind her hand. It kind of looked like an exhausted dad, taking out his two hyperactive children because he was too lazy to cook.

"Hey guys, I'm Kaiya and I'll be taking care of you," said a voice to her right. Charlie blushed at having not detected her approach, and glanced over with a smile. The girl was young, probably only about 16, with long black hair and a closed-eye smile on her face. Charlie's eyebrows raised, impressed; rather than a customer-service smile, this one was real. It was hard to find genuine kindness in people when she had Naruto by her side, though Kaiya didn't seem to mind.

"Can I get you started on something to drink?" She scribbled down their drink orders rapidly. Charlie and Kakashi both opted for hot tea to warm themselves from the weather, while Naruto settled on some sort of soda. "Alright. I'll be back in a flash." Then she disappeared, as quickly as she'd come.

"She's like a ghost," Naruto said in awe beside her, and she couldn't help but nod.

Kakashi was uncomfortably quiet as they waited for her to return, so in the interim, Naruto was more than happy to fill the silence. "Ne, ne, Charlie, do you think I can walk on water _with my hands _now?" he asked, leaning towards her on the bench seat.

Charlie sweatdropped. Naruto had, in truth, come a long way from when they first started. He had learned to walk up trees rather quickly, and water came right after. While he still had trouble balancing if he was distracted, it was miles ahead of where he was in the original timeline. "Can you even walk on your hands on solid ground?" she retorted skeptically.

He shrugged it off, though she figured that if she herself couldn't do a walking handstand yet, neither could he. "Maybe. Hey, Kaka-sensei, can _you_?"

Kakashi, who had been content to stare off in the distance with his chin in his palm, blinked to awareness. "Sure."

Charlie hid a sigh with a cough. This wasn't going as planned. Trying to engage Kakashi was like banging one's head against a brick wall. Painful.

Naruto was pouting. "Well, then I can too. Just look-" he made to get up, and Charlie gripped his hand tightly. He opened his mouth to complain, but Kaiya was rounding back to their booth with their drinks in tow.

"Two hot teas and a cola, at your service," the black haired girl said evenly, distributing them. "Do you know what you want to order yet?"

"Short ribs and chicken and pork belly and shrimp and-"

Charlie settled a firm hand on his head, sweatdropping. "Just chicken and beef please. And carrots, onions, and cabbage. Kakashi-sensei?"

The man waved a hand. "And tare*."

Kaiya chuckled and clicked her pen closed. "I'll be back in a moment."

After her departure, Naruto pouted at her. "How come we couldn't get all the meats?"

"Because I'm going to end up paying for this, runt," Charlie grumbled, refusing to meet his wide and watery eyes. He always used the puppy dog look on her, and she was resigned that it wouldn't happen again. "And I'm allergic to shellfish anyway..."

She grabbed the piping hot teapot by the handle and poured it tentatively into the small teacup. Ah, warm tea... "Kakashi-sensei, your cup?" Her teacher wordlessly slid it her direction, and she filled it.

The trio sat in not-quite-awkward silence as they sipped at their drinks. Charlie scratched her temple thoughtfully; how to get Kakashi to talk to them? '_What does Kakashi even like talking about?_'

**"I don't think you'll want to talk about _that_." **Minato said cheerily.

She blinked a bit in surprise at his sudden appearance. '_I didn't even know that you came back.'_

"**I am a ninja, after all,**" he responded, with a heavy amount of cheek. "**But anyway. If you want Kakashi-kun to open up to you two more, it will take a different approach than hauling him along to barbeque with you.**"

Charlie's lips pursed in a pout. '_Well, I'm open to suggestions._'

"**Kakashi-kun is much like a cat in that you cannot force him to like you. Dragging him to places he doesn't want to be won't work. The only way Kakashi-kun will show any sort of affection or warmth towards either of you is to gain his respect and let him be who he is."**

Well, gee. That wasn't helpful at all. The redhead leaned back in the booth until her head rested against the plush back, staring up at the ceiling. Minato had basically just told her that all her efforts would be fruitless until Kakashi himself decided to trust her enough, which wasn't going to happen any time soon. He was already a skeptical sort of guy, and added to that... '_I'm keeping secrets from him, and he knows it. How can I expect him to trust me if I can't even trust him?_'

"Charlie?" Naruto said, pulling her from her thoughts. She straightened in her seat, blushing slightly. The blond was giving her a concerned look, and she could feel Kakashi's eyes on her.

"Sorry, was just thinking," Charlie waved it off. "What'd you say?"

As Naruto launched into his line of questioning, something about her favorite food or whatnot, her amber eyes flickered to the silver-haired jounin sitting across from them. Far from looking out of it, as he had before, he was now staring pensively at her, head still resting on his fist.

His eye glinted knowingly, and she gulped. Was there anything that that guy missed?

* * *

Danzou leaned back in his seat, long fingers steepling together. In front of him, the spy he'd attached to Shimizu Charlie all those months ago knelt with his face down. No doubt awaiting a 'kill' order. Danzou knew all too well that this particular spy hated his post, and just wished to be rid of it already. He had been on it for a fair while, after all.

Try as they might to hide their opinions and emotions from him, Danzou was very good at figuring things out. He had yet to decide, however, what to do with that girl. So incredibly promising, and yet... she was a threat. An outside body, as much as the Hokage tried to glance over that fact. Danzou wasn't one to accept all beings into Konoha's loving arms- which was good, in his opinion. If Sarutobi had his way, they would become the repository for all the Land of Fire's orphans.

It just set his blood boiling in his ears, but then again. The Hokage's softheartedness had landed them in this peculiar situation.

Shimizu Charlie. 11. An obviously bogus backstory. Incredible promise in almost all fields of the ninja arts. Miles ahead of her peers. And she had situated herself in an interesting position, too, being cushy with the Hokage, with the demon brat, _and _with Hatake Kakashi. It made him wonder what she knew.

It made him want to kill her, for what she potentially knew.

But he couldn't, and that was the hard part. If he did, Sarutobi would know who issued the order, no matter what the ANBU said about it. If he did, the Root could be found out. It wasn't worth killing the girl yet, not yet, not until he knew what she knew. How he hated politics.

As smart as she was, it presented an interesting position. He couldn't offer her a place in Root, obviously- she would go crying to Sarutobi the second he left her sight. Perhaps he'd have a better watch on her if she joined ANBU?

She was a little young for his taste, and most assuredly adding a student into ANBU directly from the Academy was a rarity nowadays unless they came across someone with the potential of Uchiha Itachi. And yet...

There was something about that brat that put his teeth on edge.

If he had her under his thumb, he could watch her closer. Plus, with how far along she was already, by the time she graduated it wouldn't be seen as suspicious if he brought it up in a council meeting. And if she really was someone to be trusted, then he had another prodigy on his hands. Hell, he could even transfer her to Root.

So with a small smirk, Danzou stood from his seat. "Rise, Rat. You're clear of babysitting duty for now. Summon Eagle to me when you get the chance." Rat nodded before disappearing.

What was that saying again? Keep your friends close...

* * *

***Tare: tare is sauce you put on your food at barbeque places in Japan. In most restaurants, the customers order raw ingredients and cook the food themselves with the griddles that are a part of each table.**

**AngelAmongTheStars: Definitely write one! They're so fun :D As you can see, Danzou's being as plotting and creepy as usual... Anyway, thanks for your review and advice!**

**Lyrigami: And she squeaked by with not much suffering, I'm definitely being too nice to her o.O I like to think she was in her 'mind palace', her brain, during the scene where she tried to access Minato's chakra. Kakashi would make a really bad dad at this point XD And yes, I think after a chapter or two they'll be going into the next year and assigned new homeroom teachers so most of the Rookie Nine will finally be introduced. Thanks as always for your review!**

**Sylvia2343: Aww thank you! I've had to kind of invent things for the Academy (like placement exams...) because we're not really shown all that much of it, so I get what you mean. I think it would be very hard for her to get by without the use of chakra, and yet I'm not sure if she'll be able to conjure her own. We'll see what happens! Thank you for your review and support my friend!**

**Silvia Luisa Gutirrez Pinto: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I think in the next few chapters when we move on to a new school year the other characters will become involved. Thanks for your review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Part 2 to the chapter I just posted. **

**Chapter 15**

Kakashi watched the two children closely as they exited the warm building after their near-awkward dinner together. Naruto was grumbling to himself at the change in temperature, and Charlie was shuddering in her coat as the cool wind buffeted her small frame.

Night time had taken over the now quiet village, and everyone who had been out as the trio had entered the barbeque place had gone inside for the day. Indeed, besides shinobi, Charlie and Naruto were probably the only ones out so late on a weekday.

Beside the two shivering children, the jounin had his hands in his pockets, nothing to protect him from the frigid air besides the flak jacket that covered his torso. The only indication that he was cold were the goosebumps raised on the visible portions of his forearms.

It wasn't that big of a deal. He'd had way worse. Besides, he had his image to protect.

"Let's head home," Charlie sighed, pulling her hood over her head, "I hate winter." Not only had they had to reduce the time they trained lately, they'd also started earlier to eek out every last bit of sunlight. Kakashi could understand her frustration, though it wasn't like him to voice it. Winter was... inconvenient.

Kakashi hummed in approval, and made to depart from the two youngsters before a small hand gripped the elbow of his shirt. He turned, one eyebrow raised. Charlie removed her pinching fingers from his person with a faint smile. "I would also like to talk about our training going forward tonight, if you're up for it."

There was something in her hazel eyes that spoke volumes.

He shrugged, and followed them quietly, allowing Naruto to fill the silence with his complaints. "Can't believe it gets so cold here at night... Isn't this supposed to be the Land of _Fire_?... Charlie, will you go buy gloves later... Man, I should've got the tea..."

Inconvenient was a word for winter. Quiet was another. The trio didn't even have the company of crickets on the freezing trek home. '_I should really teach them the shunshin_,' he thought to himself, groaning internally at the slow pace. Perhaps if he were to push the rest of the lessons back after they gain good control of their chakra, he could do so? But perhaps it would interfere with the clone technique he had penciled in for the next month...

Kakashi sweatdropped. Had he really become so invested in these brats? It really hadn't become intentional, training them. He had been content to receive the paycheck every couple weeks or so and just show up for a few minutes every week to give them a new task. That had changed quickly, and now he was making plans for the future.

He wondered when the kids had crossed the line he'd drawn in the sand. Perhaps it was when Charlie had overexerted herself. When Naruto had been so desolate without her, so pained at the absence of his friend... Yes, perhaps then. It wasn't like he'd grown soft on them- they could attest to that. He ran them ragged every session. But perhaps he cared more for them than he would for any random brat off the streets.

Naruto, especially. God, did that kid have a way of getting under his skin. He didn't even have to be his father's son, either. Naruto was a person one couldn't help but care for, at least once they met him fully. There was something about the determined glint in his eye, the way he bore the village's hatred, the way he kept getting back up. He would make a good ninja one day, or dare he say, even a great one.

Charlie was an enigma he had yet to crack. He had to confess that her prodigy-level skills when it came to memory and knowledge in general were astounding. She had progressed leaps and bounds under his tutelage. Her smarts had led her to Naruto, and her compassion had brought the kid out of the dark- something to respect. She was shrewd, too, uncomfortably so. If she wasn't a ninja already, she would be soon, and he wouldn't be surprised if someone like Danzou decided to pick her up.

She also still felt painfully familiar to him, something that bothered him greatly. She seemed to _know _that he was suspicious of her, too. She would shift uncomfortably under his stare, give half-answers, avoid him when she knew he wanted to talk seriously to her. There was something secretive about her, and though the Hokage trusted her, even after all this time Kakashi still could not. Not as much as he'd like to.

"Night, Naru-chan," Charlie said, which took Kakashi out of his thoughts. Unbeknownst to him, they had come all the way to the two's apartments, and were now parting ways.

"Night, Charlie, night Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said cheerily, and waved as he unlocked and entered his apartment. Kakashi gave a short wave to him in response.

Charlie took a deep breath as the boy's door pushed shut, and looked at him over her shoulder. "Come on." She unlocked her apartment and shoved it open with a shoulder as the door protested. They really didn't give these kids the best of apartments to live in, huh.

She flicked on the lights silently as she shucked off her shoes, and Kakashi took the moment to glance around. It was neat enough that he could believe no one lived here, if it werent for the few pieces of furniture. Her living room consisted of a small couch, rug, and coffee table. There were no pictures on the wall, no trash or junk lying around. The only shoes she had at the genkan were her ninja sandals and the wooden geta necessary to attend kunoichi class.

It was kind of weird, to be honest. Reminded him of how his apartment looked, back when he was her age.

The redhead invited him into the living room with a wave of the hand, and went into the equally spotless kitchen to put a pot of tea on the stovetop. She was quiet as she methodically filled the pot with water and set it to boil. Kakashi sat on the lumpy couch, staring at the bare wall. She really hadn't wanted the place to look lived-in at all, did she?

"To answer the question you haven't asked, I have pictures and books and trinkets in my bedroom. I just don't think company needs to see it, is all," Charlie said, leaning against the frame to the kitchen with a small grin. She'd shucked her coat, and looked disturbingly young to have eyes so dark.

Kakashi blinked at her. "Why did you invite me here, Charlie-chan?"

Her thin shoulders slumped, and she smiled ruefully at his frankness. "I suppose I'm tired of you looking at me like that." The kettle squealed, and she turned to pull it off the heat. "I only have matcha. Is that okay?" she asked as she pulled a bag of powdered tea from a cupboard above her head.

Kakashi shrugged. He wasn't really here for the tea.

Charlie returned soon with a wooden platter. The teapot steamed atop it, and glass clinked as she set it on the coffee table. She filled two cups silently, and let them cool as she sat down seiza-style next to him. Facing him. He turned towards her, surprise that she was now being slightly more open with him. She never struck him as that way.

"Ask away. But beware that I may not have all the answers ready for you." Her hazel eyes were unreadable as her small fists clenched in her lap. She kind of looked like she expected to get slapped.

"If it's that painful to talk about your secrets, you should probably keep them secret," Kakashi advised cautiously.

Her lips twitched up at the corners. "It's not like I have such a dark past or anything. I just hope you won't look at me in disgust when this meeting is over."

"Why would I? Killed anyone recently?"

She balked. "N-no!"

"Stolen?"

"Are you joking?"

"Betrayed our secrets?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why would I see you differently?"

She didn't answer him, instead choosing to take a cup of tea into her hands. It probably burned her fingers, but she held it still.

He quirked his lips to the side. "Why do you seem much older than you are?" His first question was one of his more pressing ones. Sure, he had met a few children in his time that acted more maturely than they should. He had been one, at one point. But Charlie had the countenance of an adult in a child's body, and there was a difference. There was a difference between being hardened by years of abuse and neglect, and whatever Charlie was.

Charlie smiled at him a little. "I should preface this by saying that all that I'm about to tell you, I've also told the Hokage. So if you think I'm hiding anything from him, or if I have any ill-intent towards the village, you would be wrong. Yamanaka Inoichi has already done a mindwalk, so I am vetted." She winked at him. "Anyway, to answer your question with a question: would you believe me if I said I am?"

"What do you mean?"

She lost her smile. "I _am_. An adult in a child's body. I'm not a kid who acts older than she is. I'm not burdened by the ghosts of my past. And I'm not just well-read. Technically, I'm 18 now." He breathed in sharply, but she didn't seem to see him anymore, and was staring down at her small hands, her small body, as if it offended her. "I don't just age well, either. Where I'm from, I was... I was normal. My age seems to have reversed since I came here."

"Where you're... from?" he echoed, still trying to get his head around what she'd just told him. She had just said she'd been vetted by the Hokage, but this was... hard to believe.

"Perhaps this will make my age reversal a bit easier to understand. I don't come from here. At all." She leaned forward, as though she were gossiping rather than revealing her deepest secrets. "I come from a different world. Where I'm from, we don't have chakra. We use electricity. Cars to get around, cellphones to communicate with people across the world, airplanes to fly us through the sky when we travel. Our doctors use medicine to treat our illnesses. Ninjas are things of the past. Oh, and school lasts at least 13 years for most kids in many countries."

Kakashi blinked uncomprehendingly. Another _world_? Was this kid crazy? She didn't really seem like the type, and she was staring him in the eye as though she was genuinely serious, but... how could he believe that? How could he begin to believe that? He stood, eyebrows pulling together in a frown. "Charlie, you need to go to bed. You're-"

"Listen to me, Hatake Kakashi. I'm not done." Charlie stood as well, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared seriously at him. "I'm not crazy, either. You can talk to Hokage tomorrow, or even go and wake him right after this if it makes you feel better. But I'm not lying to you. So sit down and keep asking questions. I'm doing this against my better judgement, and you won't be getting much else out of me if you leave now."

He took a deep breath in, and slowly sat, clenching his fists against the anger he felt rising in his chest. This kid was jerking him around, she had to be. He didn't know her to be a prankster.

"If you're from '_another world_'," he began, air quoting the words to show further his disbelief, "then how did you get here?"

She rubbed her jaw thoughtfully. "That's hard to explain. Truthfully, I don't fully understand it either. And there are... some things that I don't think you're ready to hear yet. But here is what I do know. I was in a job shadow- hard to explain, I was basically following a doctor around for the day to see what he did- and all of a sudden, I blacked out. When I came to... well, when I came to this world, anyway, I was naked and in _this _body. I was outside of Konoha's gates. Naruto found me because he was skipping school, and took me to the Hokage."

Kakashi sipped at the now cooling tea. It was a bit watered down, but it did the trick to abate the awkward silence. How was he supposed to respond to that? It sounded so... outlandish, and yet she was explaining it casually, so truthfully. Could that really be the truth? Could it?

"And..." she added softly, staring down at her drink. "There's one thing I have to tell you. Something that you wouldn't think to ask, but I think you should know anyway. There's a reason Naruto is my best friend, beyond the fact that he's a super sweet kid and I love him very much. I also recognize the potential in him. I know how good he is, I know how great he will be in the future. I want to foster that, because there are things in the future that I would rather _avoid_. I want to stand by his side as he- no, as_ we all_ fight for peace. This is my goal. He is the reason I have fought so hard all this time, the reason I have not given up. There is a future for us all, one worth fighting for. I've seen it.

"You don't have to believe me when I say this, because I'm sure you won't until you talk to the Hokage and Yamanaka-san, but the reason I am fighting so hard to better myself for a village I didn't grow up in is because where I'm from, all of this is from a book. It's all a story, or at least I thought it was. I know what has happened in the past, and I know what will happen in the future- or at least, what is _supposed _to happen."

He said nothing, staring at her. Her lips lifted humorlessly. "Here's the part where you quiz me," she said.

"Charlie-chan, you realize I can't believe this." The words came softly, softer than he'd meant them. He'd meant for them to be harsh, harsh for wasting his time, for dragging him here and serving him watered down tea as she lied straight to his face. But they were soft. He wished he could trust her. He wished she wasn't so infernally difficult to get to know.

"Then let me prove myself. Ask me something I shouldn't know, and if I know, I'll tell you the answer." She nodded determinedly at him.

He didn't say anything.

Her eyebrow quirked. "Kakashi, I'm trying here. You wanted to know my secrets, and now you won't accept them."

"Fine, then. What's so special about Naruto-kun?" Kakashi burst out the first question that came to his mind, and regretted it immediately. They weren't supposed to tell the children that _anything _was amiss with him, and here he'd just blurted it out to an 11-year-old. Foolish.

"He has the Kyuubi sealed inside him. Though he goes by Kurama, just so you know. The fox was sealed into him by his father, Namikaze Minato, after his mother, Uzumaki Kushina, lost control of it during Naruto's birth. Minato's also the one who assigned you to protect Kushina while she was pregnant. You were in ANBU back then, right, after everything that happened with your team? You have the ANBU tattoo on your shoulder to prove it."

The anger that Kakashi was beginning to feel seemed to blare in his chest, and he got to his feet again, towering over the smaller girl. He'd ask her how she knew this, but he knew what her answer would be.

"'Those who abandon friends are worse than scum'. Those are the words _he_ told you on _that _day. I know what happened that day, and I know what happened after." Her eyes welled with tears as she looked away from the (no doubt furious) gaze he was boring through her. "I know that you got your Chidori from trying to enhance Minato's Rasengan. I know about your dog summons, and I know that Pakkun is very proud of how soft his paws are. But more importantly, the reason I sought you out at all, is because I know you better than almost anyone."

She was staring downwards now, not meeting his stone cold eye as the tears that had been filling hers dropped to wet her tactical pants. "I know you're a good person. I know you feel things deeply, despite who you may portray yourself as. I know you're exceedingly angry with me right now, but I also know that despite your cold exterior, you were kind enough to stay when I told you to, and listen through all of this despite how you felt. So you can curse my name all you want to, but I've given you the answers that you wanted. I've told you facts about yourself that by all means I shouldn't know. And I know that though it may take a while, you are kind, and will forgive me for knowing them."

Kakashi grit his teeth, and turned.

The door shut with a slam behind him.

* * *

The next morning, before the roosters began their dawn calls, Kakashi was shunshinning to the Hokage's office. He had been kind enough to wait until 6 AM to bother the old man, but no longer. And if he wasn't there yet, he would stand there until he was. It was only a matter of time.

To his surprise, the old man _was _there, almost as though he'd expected a visitor so early. He was sipping a cup of tea and watching the sun break over the horizon. It painted the sky a pretty hue, gold mixed with pink mixed with purple, but Kakashi was not one to become distracted by such things.

The ninja stood there silently, waiting to be addressed. Finally, the old man turned, giving him a knowing smile as he walked forward to set his cup down. "Kakashi-kun," he greeted. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Kakashi managed through gritted teeth, "Hokage-sama."

"You look like a caged tiger this morning. Any reason why?"

"Shimizu Charlie has told me some interesting pieces of information. I have to wonder about the veracity of such things." It was the most polite way he could put it, but how he was chopping at the bit to get the pleasantries out of the way.

The Hokage sat down with an aged groan behind his desk, and fiddled around for a moment in one of his drawers. He pulled out a long pipe and a can of tobacco, grinning cheerily. "Nothing like a morning smoke, eh, Kakashi-kun?"

"I wouldn't know, Hokage-sama."

He waited impatiently as the old man lit up. His leader took two puffs, before sighing. "She's telling the truth, you know. All of it."

The jounin couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "All of it?" he repeated uncomprehendingly. "Being an _adult_, being from a different _world_, _knowing things she should not know_?"

His Hokage blinked once. "Yes, that's all true. I've seen her memories. Do you really think I would give her my seal of approval if I hadn't verified things myself?"

"Well, no, Hokage-sama, it just seems..."

"Improbable. Or perhaps impossible. I know, I thought so too. But she proved me wrong." Sarutobi gave a goodnatured grin. "I truly do like the girl. Surely you do, too?"

Kakashi forced his scowl into an unreadable expression. "'Liking' her is not the issue at hand here-"

"There is no issue at hand," the Hokage interrupted. His dark eyes were cold and serious now, a far cry from how lax he'd seemed earlier. "The only 'issue' with Charlie-chan resides in people's heads, and that alone. I trust the girl, and as a ninja in my highest regards, it displeases me that you do not. I would not have assigned you to her if I thought you couldn't handle learning _who _she is. Do not prove me wrong, Kakashi."

"_She knows too much_," Kakashi ground out. "If she were to get captured, or sell our secrets-"

"She would not do such a thing. And I did not assign you to be her tutor _just_ to teach her. I hoped that you would form a friendship with her so that the whole 'protection detail' aspect would be obvious. This 'B-rank mission' of yours is twofold- to protect her and Naruto from harm, and to train them to where they can protect themselves. Well, threefold if you think about it, because I really did want you to take students and stop being such a lone wolf, but anyway.

"If we're being honest here, I know that you know that deep down, you really do like her. And you want to trust her. And now that she's revealed her secrets to you, you feel as though you've been betrayed. That's fine, feel that and get over it. She's a good kid. You know Charlie-chan almost as well as I do now- do you truly believe that she has a bad bone in her body?"

"Until last night, I feel I did not know her at all."

The old man sighed in exasperation. "Everything that kid does is for a reason. If she felt comfortable enough to reveal that part of her to you, you should be grateful. You are one of the three- well, four- people who know her true identity. Naruto-kun himself doesn't even know who she is. For obvious reasons, it's an SS-ranked secret. For her to trust you with such information, you should feel honored. Not betrayed. She is a good girl with a strong heart, and I believe in her and what she is trying to accomplish. So please, don't push her away for trying to let you in. Do this for your Hokage."

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose as the headache surged behind his eyes. "And I suppose you won't tell me what else she's hiding? I'm sure there's something. You said I know her 'almost' as well as you do."

The Hokage's wizened face cracked into a grin. "Nothing gets past you, does it, Kakashi-kun? You're right. There is one more thing. It's quite trivial, really, but if she didn't feel comfortable enough to reveal it to you then I certainly won't be doing her any favors by doing it myself, would I?"

The silver haired jounin sighed, and bowed. "I will come by later today for a mission assignment, Hokage-sama."

"No need," Sarutobi said, pulling a scroll out of the recesses of his robe. "I meant to call you here with Asuma-kun earlier, but Charlie-chan told me you might be stopping by, so I brought this with me. You two leave tomorrow, do let Asuma-kun know."

Kakashi frowned as he took the scroll from him. "Charlie was here even earlier than I was?" Did the kid ever sleep?

"Of course. Who do you think brought the tea?"

Kakashi glanced in the cup.

Watered down matcha.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Not much to say except this is a little fillery but more about the Academy times. Probably only gonna be one or two more chapters of the Academy before we get into the main plotline. Thankies, enjoy!**

**Chapter 16**

The year ended abruptly. To Charlie's dismay, the people of Konohagakure had no winter holiday of any sort to keep them warm during the cold months. And so, with little fanfare, their final exam happened and the next year rolled around. It didn't surprise her at all when they landed in the homeroom of Umino Iruka, along with the main cast of characters, though truthfully it was a bit of a relief.

So she hadn't rocked the boat that much. Yet, at least.

Walking through the door to their new classroom with her hyperactive blond friend in tow, Charlie's shoulders slumped, taking in the familiar faces with relief. All the heads seemed to swivel and focus on Naruto as they found themselves an empty table, and the redhead suppressed a cringe. '_Right, they don't know they like him yet, huh?_' she thought.

Naruto made a face at most of them as the duo sat down, and Charlie elbowed him in the side. "Be nice. It'll get better, ne?" She allowed him to have the window seat while sitting in the middle of the bench, and dropped her pack unceremoniously on the desk. She usually carried both of their lunches as well as their supplies in it- Naruto tended to be forgetful of such things.

Cyan blue eyes leveled on her with a heavy dose of disbelief mixed in. "I know you're usually right, but that's kinda hard to believe, -ttebayo..." he confessed in a whisper. His heels dug into the soft wood of the bench as he set his head on his fist and turned to stare out the window.

Charlie smirked a little. "I'm _always _right, Naru-chan. When have I been wrong?"

He whipped around to squint at her, as if to say, _you know_. She flushed painfully; even after all this time, Naruto had yet to forgive her for the 'chakra allergy' incident.

"Hey." A voice said from rather close behind her. Charlie's head turned, eyes widened a little in surprise; Minato had been a sensor, and she had hoped that by having him in her head, she would be one too. No such luck.

Akiko stood behind her, pale arms crossed over her chest and a grimace on her face. Mayu and Chiyoko were nowhere to be seen, but the willowy black-haired girl didn't seem to miss them much.

Truthfully, the girl had isolated herself from the rest of their class after the confrontation in the boutique. Nobody really knew why the former drama queen had abandoned that sort of thing, nor why she now either blankly stared or glared at anyone approaching her. Charlie, though, had an inclination.

So it didn't surprise her much that the look on the girl's face was rather cold. In fact, it impressed her. Akiko was finally being her true self, even if her true self was a bit of a bitch.

"Hi," Charlie said, lips curling up. "Looks like you got stuck with us for another year, huh?"

The redhead's eyes nearly bugged out of her head as the dark haired girl flopped into the open seat next to her and sighed. "Unfortunately." Akiko glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, and sighed. "There's nowhere else to sit, genius," she snapped, flushing a little.

Charlie's gaze swept the room- the girl was right. Behind her, Uchiha Sasuke was stewing to himself in the corner, while Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were fighting over who got to sit next to him. In front of her, there were a few rows of nameless faces. To her side, Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and another nameless face took up the middle bench. Behind them were Nara Shikamaru, half asleep, Akimichi Choji, and Inuzuka Kiba. There were a few other nameless characters in the seats behind them, though to her surprise Taro took up a seat there too. Had he been in the original anime?

"Looks like Mayu and Chiyoko got sent to a different class, huh?" Charlie voiced needlessly.

Akiko rolled her eyes. "They dropped out. They got such low marks in the last placement exam that they gave up." She tsk'ed. "Kind of pathetic."

"So cold," Charlie stage whispered to her blond friend, who giggled at her in response.

Before Akiko could yell at her, the class came to attention as their new sensei walked in the room. He smiled pleasantly at them as he approached the podium in unhurried steps. "Good morning, class," he greeted.

"Good morning, sensei," they all replied in kind. Charlie leaned her head on her netted fingers, grinning a little. She liked Iruka, he was a nice guy.

"My name is Umino Iruka, and I will be your new homeroom teacher for this year. Some of you may have met before, but for those that haven't, why don't we do introductions? State your name, one like, and one dislike, and your goal for the year. We'll start with Akutagawa Ryouichi. Go!"

The dark haired kid in the lower corner looked up as though he hadn't been paying attention. "Um, my name is Ryouichi. I like sleeping, and I don't like pickles... my goal is to, uh, pass?"

Charlie chuckled. Same, kid. The kids took their turn one-by-one, and eventually the spotlight landed on Naruto. Unsurprisingly, the blond stood up, proudly proclaiming, "I'm Naruto. I like instant ramen, and I dislike the three minutes you have to wait for it to cook! My goal is to graduate and eventually become Hokage!" He ignored the mutters of discontent as he sat down again.

Beside him, the redhead smiled. "My name is Charlie. I like learning. I dislike willful ignorance. My goal is to become strong enough to protect myself and my future teammates."

Akiko sighed boredly. "Akiko. I like training. I dislike people who look down on me. My goal is to be top kunoichi." One ice blue eye landed on Charlie, and she couldn't help but feel like she was being assessed.

So, she gave the girl her sweetest close-eyed smile. One that said, "_If you want the crown, come and take it._"

It intrigued her that the girl had said 'training'. She had definitely never been interested in that sort of thing before. Charlie couldn't help but wonder if that scene in Haruna's shop had had a stronger effect on her than she'd anticipated. She wondered if she wasn't the girl's new target to take down.

'_Well that's fine,_' Charlie thought, smile turning a smidge devious. '_Because I've been working harder too, Akiko._'

Once introductions were out of the way, the group went out to the field. "One thing we're going to focus on most this year is throwing. You already should have experience with this, but to assess you myself, I would like each of you to throw three shuriken and three kunai at the post. Who wants to go first?"

Charlie couldn't help the grimace that came over her face. Truthfully, she hadn't really practiced throwing all that much. She was no amateur, and she had done decently in the last placement exams, but it was a bit embarrassing to be average when just a few months before that Minato had successfully managed to get her a perfect score.

"**You know, if you focus on the target, you usually get it every time,**" the man said in her mind. He had resurfaced from... wherever he went, a little while ago, and was watching quietly from the sidelines. She had gotten more adept at sensing when he was around, especially now that they shared chakra.

Charlie sweatdropped. '_Yeah, but I have performance anxiety,' _she whined in response. He laughed, which didn't surprise her.

Sasuke went first, casually setting the bar at an extraordinary level for everyone coming after him. Naruto gave him a cross look as the boy returned to the group, to which Sasuke responded with an equally dirty look back.

"Do you not like him?" Charlie asked under her breath, curiosity getting the better of her.

Naruto shrugged offhandedly. "He always beat me whenever our classes were put together for taijutsu. I hate how much of a show-off he is," the boy said. His cheeks puffed, before a smug smile lifted them. "But since I'm stronger now, I can beat him, ya know."

The redhead laughed a little. "We'll have to see, ne?"

"I will!" Naruto insisted. "Watch this!" Ryouichi barely got time to finish throwing his kunai before Naruto was sauntering his way to the front and shouldering him out of the way. "Prepare to be amazed!" he called to the group, who replied with groans.

In her peripheral, Charlie could see Sasuke rolling his eyes. She hummed thoughtfully, and found herself quietly picking her way over to him. She had a plan for keeping Sasuke in the village, and phase one of that plan was becoming his friend. As frigid a kid as he was, she could understand why he came to be that way, and more importantly, why he came to hate the village. But it wasn't advantageous for anyone for him to leave, and it would only end up hurting people.

Especially Itachi, whom she also had a plan for.

His coal black eyes narrowed as she came to his side, though he said nothing. He probably thought she was another member of his atrocious _fan club_. "Hi," she said simply.

Sasuke blinked at her, and looked away.

Charlie pouted. "Ooooi. You did pretty well at throwing, ya know?" she continued, flitting around to face him again when he turned away.

His eyebrow twitched. "So?"

"I was wondering if you'd help me," Charlie said, straightening her back and allowing her smile to fade a bit. If there was one way to bond with a kid like this, it was by doing something he actually liked doing.

"Why would I do that?" he grunted dismissively, and waved a hand. His dark gaze watched as Naruto landed a shuriken in the outer ring of the target.

Charlie sweatdropped. "Well, because I'll help you with taijutsu. _And_," she smiled conspiringly, leaning closer, "I'll protect you from Sakura-chan and Ino-chan if you do~"

_That _got his attention, though he was still frowning at her. "And how do I know you're not one of _them._" He said the last word with an appropriate level of disgust.

Charlie chuckled as her amber eyes landed on Naruto's fast approaching form. He had finished, and though he hadn't done as well as Sasuke, it was leaps and bounds better than it had been just a month or two prior.

The blond was scowling at her, and shouted in surprise as the girl grabbed him around the neck and gave him a noogie. Proudly, she proclaimed, "Because Naruto is the only person I love."

Sasuke's eyes bugged out a bit, and Naruto stilled under her, face flaming. "C-Charlie, y-y-y-" her friend stuttered awkwardly.

She ruffled the blond, spiky hair. "But seriously, Sasuke-kun. Think it over. Oh, and I should say... my last taijutsu match lasted less than half a minute, and I won." Charlie winked at him before dragging Naruto away.

When they were an appropriate distance away, Charlie let go of her friend, watching with amused eyes as he glared at her. "Charlie, what was that about, huh? Didn't I just say the guy was bad news?"

The girl couldn't help patting him on the head again. He was just too cute sometimes. "Naruto, just because you have a rivalry with someone doesn't mean they can't be your close friend, too. And besides," she smiled wide enough to show teeth, "isn't it better to learn from people who are more skilled than we are?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "But he-"

"- Is most likely stronger than I am. And so I want to learn from him." She waved her hand nonchalantly. "Besides, doesn't he seem lonely to you?"

Cyan blue eyes flitted over to the dark haired boy, who was now being inundated with girls telling him how strong he was, how handsome. "...No."

Charlie couldn't help the frown that marred her features. "You can be surrounded by people and still be completely alone. Right?" _Of all people, shouldn't you realize that?_

Naruto didn't answer her, watching Sasuke with assessing eyes. He made a noncommittal hum, and the girl sighed, glancing away. Maybe on some subconscious level, he _did _know how lonely Sasuke was. But to him, to such a young kid who'd had no attention whatsoever before Charlie had appeared, he probably believed any attention was good attention. Even the misdirected kind.

The two would just have to get used to each other at some point.

When it was her turn to go, Charlie managed to get one star in the center, two midway in, one kunai midway in, and one on the outer edge. The other bounced harmlessly onto the ground, and she sighed, ducking forward to pick it up. She'd need to work harder.

Or... she glanced at Sasuke, who was watching with an analytical eye, and made sure to give him a sheepish '_see what I mean?_' smile. The boy scowled and looked away as her expression morphed to a pout.

She'd definitely get him on her side yet.

* * *

Later that day, Charlie found herself donning the same too-fancy-for-her-blood dress and geta to attend kunoichi class. Leave it to the Academy to banish the girls from the first ever taijutsu class of the year.

It wasn't all bad though. Since they were now of the same class and year, Charlie got lumped in with all of the Rookie Nine females- an excellent chance to network. Plus, she could acquiesce that kunoichi class wasn't _entirely _useless. Sure, she had to ban Minato from listening in on certain lectures (_Lord knew how embarrassing they were_), and _most _of it was common sense ('don't eat weird mushrooms in the forest'), but there were certain aspects she could appreciate.

Like the lessons on espionage, which happened to be that day's topic.

Female shinobi were most commonly used for spying and seduction, it was just a fact. Perhaps it was a bit untoward, and perhaps it left a bad taste in her mouth- Charlie preferred to vanquish her enemies the old fashioned way- but Konoha deemed it necessary that she learn it. That all of the girls did. And it wasn't that it wasn't _useful_, per se, but... well, it was awkward.

_Ugh_.

Espionage was okay, though. It wasn't as disturbing, anyway.

Charlie chose to hole up next to Hinata almost immediately upon entering the small room, and gave the girl a smile as she sat down. Hinata made a nervous one back, pale eyes flighty and awkward. "Hi," the redhead greeted under her breath. One never knew when _that woman _would appear.

"H-Hello," Hinata managed, twisting her small fingers in her lap. She was cuter than she'd been in the anime, Charlie couldn't help but think. But she was just as weak-willed.

Freckled cheeks split into a grin. '_Not that I'd allow her to be for much longer, though_.' Girls that pretty had no business being shy. "I'm Shimizu Charlie. What's your name?"

"Um, Hyuuga Hinata," the girl replied, softly again.

"Your kimono looks really pretty, Hinata-chan. It matches your hair," Charlie complimented. It truly did- the print was cream and lilacs, and obviously made of silk. It was probably worth more than her and Naruto's allowances for the next two months.

Hinata finally smiled a little, cheeks coloring. "T-Thanks, yours is pretty too."

Charlie opened her mouth, about to lay it on even thicker, when the door burst open. Her skin went from ruddy tan to stark white in a matter of seconds, and her back stiffened ramrod straight. '_T-That De-de-demon is here!_' she thought frantically. Fighting to maintain an impassive face, she risked a single glance towards the door.

Lady Murakami was glaring at her. Oh, God.

There weren't many people that could strike fear into her the way _that demon _could. Murakami Kazu stood at 6'0", and probably weighed close to 250. She wore it well- it all went to her shoulders and hips, and made her look more Amazonian than anyone Charlie'd ever met. She had a rather ageless face that was set in a perpetual scowl, and dark purple hair pulled into a tight chignon. Oh, and she had the temper of a bull chasing a matadore.

"You were talking, Shimizu-san," Lady Murakami said, in a voice deceivingly smooth.

Sweat beaded on the back of Charlie's neck. "Y-Y-Y-Yes madame," she replied ('Ma'am is a bastardization of the word 'madame', and will not be used in my classroom, Shimizu-san.').

'_Damn it! This lady has me sounding like Hinata!'_

"Five pages on why a kunoichi never speaks out of turn." The woman glared at her as if daring her to raise an objection.

She wouldn't. The last time she raised an objection, she'd returned home nursing both a bruised ass _and _her bruised pride.

Instead, just as she was taught, Charlie simply nodded, schooling her features into a mask of indifference. '_She's the devil!_'

"**I believe that woman's been teaching since _I_ was in school**," Minato remarked, returning after feeling her emotional upheaval. "**Kushina used to rant about her all the time**."

'_I can see why,_' Charlie grumbled her reply. Lady Murakami walked silently (how did she do it silently? She was in wooden sandals...) to the podium at the front of the room, resting her hands on the wooden frame. Apparently she didn't need lecture notes when she'd been teaching for decades. "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Lady Murakami," the class replied, like drones.

The tiniest smile cracked her porcelain facade. "It is nice to see you girls so close to graduation. I had my doubts about one- _I mean some-_ of you." Her dark eyes flitted accusingly in the redhead's direction. "But alas, you're starting to resemble half-decent kunoichi. Congratulations." '_A-Alas?_' "This year, we will be focusing on honing our skills in the arts of seduction and espionage. I had the good grace to leave the... more indelicate subjects for later, but no more. We will neither be focusing on bouquet arrangement nor poisons. That is behind us now."

'_So last year_ wasn't _the indelicate stuff?!_' Charlie thought frantically. If she had to hear the word 'arousal' coming from that woman's lips one more time-!

"As has been outlined to you in the schedule given last year, this lesson is on espionage. I do hope you've practiced your silent walk, because we'll be working on that presently. If there's not any questions-" the class shook their heads frantically- "we will begin. Shimizu-san."

Sweating profusely, the girl got to her feet, sidling between desks to the front of the class. For some-odd reason, she was always picked to go first.

"And go."

With a grimace, she walked across the tiled floor, wincing at every creak and clack. How was one supposed to walk _silently_ in these?! She'd done everything that Lady Murakami had said in the handout, she knew it!

A hand on her shoulder halted her progress. "While it is obvious that Shimizu-san has read the schedule, she has not_ practiced _her walk. As you can see, you could still hear her. And so." Lady Murakami's disturbingly large hands turned her to the other side. "A slight, and yet not unnatural, bend in the knee." She bent. "Arms, moving subtly with the same-side leg." She moved. "Landing on the front part of the foot first, and the heel second." She took another step. "Shifting weight _just so _so as to make the next step-" she stepped again, and to her surprise, it actually _was _silent, "- perfectly silent. Do you see?"

Charlie nodded again.

"Then do it again, and this time, _do not mess up_."

Charlie grimaced, and did it again. Thankfully, she did not mess up, though from the sweat building on her skin, it was a difficult endeavor.

"You did adequately," Lady Murakami said once she'd reached the other end of the classroom. It was about the closest she came to saying someone did 'well'. "However, there is a single problem you must correct."

Charlie blinked at her.

"Your face!" the woman finished, almost exasperated. "It looks as though you've swallowed something foul!"

'_Ohhhh._' Charlie's expression blanked.

"Yamanaka Ino," Lady Murakami said, giving the redhead a small shove towards her seat. Hazel eyes glanced up to where Hinata sat waiting for her, and she couldn't help but make a face.

The blue-haired girl thinned her lips to hide a smile.

* * *

Training with Kakashi had become an almost daily thing.

It had taken a lot of time for the silver-haired man to warm up to her again following her confession that night, but he seemed to be more willing to work with her now. She could never forget his face the day he got back from his mission with Asuma and met up with them on their usual Friday schedule. He'd looked at her like she'd personally offended him.

Perhaps she had. And she felt guilty for not telling him for a long time, though it had probably been better that she hadn't shown her cards so early into knowing him. She couldn't say she regretted how things turned out, no matter how distrustfully he looked at her the weeks after. The point was, he continued training them, and eventually, the hard feelings were pushed into the recesses of his mind.

She must've had a way at worming herself into his heart.

Eventually, Kakashi realized that training once a week wasn't going to be enough for the two little powerhouses. Charlie had grown bored with waiting in between sessions, and Naruto was restless enough as it was with his endless pool of chakra. So, barring any missions he had to go on, the trio met as often as they could. Charlie was quite happy with this arrangement- after all, she had begun to feel stagnated.

And so that evening, the three met again in the usual training grounds. Naruto was especially cross today, mostly because (in his words) 'that bastard ruined my day', and pouted as he kicked at a dirt clod.

Kakashi, who was remarkably only a half hour late, raised his visible eyebrow. "Someone looks sullen today," he teased, hands on his hips. His book was, for once, set deep in his back pocket.

"Our new class has some more... _interesting _people in it," Charlie explained after Naruto shot the man a nasty look. She rolled out her shoulders in preparation for whatever Kakashi had to throw at them that day, steadfastly ignoring the ache that had been building for weeks anyway.

'_Isn't it a rule that you're supposed to have breaks in between workout days?_' the girl thought. Naruto, sensing that she had begun stretching, made another disgruntled noise and began doing the same. At least he knew proper procedure when he saw it, now.

"**If only we had the luxury of time_,_**" Minato replied.

He had a point. Not that Kakashi was aware of it, but the events described in the manga were going to start in under a year. It left little time for prep work. Charlie's only hope was to keep with Kakashi's killer training regimen and hope she'd be adequately prepared by the time teams were assigned.

"So, let's review what we've done so far. Both of you have ~eh~ handling of waterwalking, but you're solid on treewalking, _finally_-" Kakashi ignored their words of protest as he continued, "- and we've started on the bunshin, though we've pushed back learning the shunshin. As for taijutsu, I would say it's safe to move beyond the Academy style and try to study or develop your own naturally. And lastly... both of you are absolutely abhorrent at genjutsu." His tone fell flat on the last sentence.

Charlie sweatdropped as Naruto turned to her. "Charlie, what's 'abhorrent' mean?"

She gave him a close-eyed smile that was calm on the surface (minus the tears streaming down her cheeks). "Ah, it means we're _really, really bad,_" she said gently.

The blond gaped. "Kakashi-sensei!" he croaked painfully.

"So~" the jounin said as though he didn't notice their ire, "we're going to work on dispelling genjutsu today. Class, who can tell me what a genjutsu is?" Charlie's hand shot up, and he glared at her. "Not you."

Naruto scowled. "You could've just said 'Naruto', then," the kid muttered. "It's something about illusions? Maybe?"

"Half point!" Kakashi called obnoxiously. "Genjutsu is indeed a category of illusion techniques which causes the victim to see visions of things that aren't there without realizing it. The opponent directs their chakra towards the victim's nervous system, causing them to see or experience things that aren't real. As I _highly doubt _either of you are going to be professionals in a field such as this-" cue more angry words, "-we'll learn how to realize you're in one, and dispell it."

Charlie's legs trembled in excitement. Something useful! Yes! Beside her, Naruto crossed his arms. "When are we ever gonna be in a genjutsu, anyway? Sounds booooring," he said, frowning. He was more of an action sort of kid, after all.

Kakashi's eyebrow raised a hair, staring at the kid. "Well, you're in one right now," he informed.

The two students' eyes widened, and they glanced around wildly. How- when had he- wh-

"Couldn't tell?" Kakashi continued, and Charlie could just _feel _the smug grin he wore. "It's that subtle. But I'm not lying to you~"

Charlie frowned. Nothing felt off at all, nothing besides- "The grass isn't moving anymore," she realized, glancing down at her feet. The wind had been ruffling it against her ankles, but now they seemed frozen. "And- in fact, there's no breeze at all."

"Correct!" Kakashi said. "Well done. This is the most subtle of genjutsus there is- one in which everything is normal, even though it isn't. In reality, your opponent could be doing anything with you right now. Believe me you, this was the most innocent you may come across. In other genjutsus, the victim is tortured. For obvious reasons I won't be _demonstrating _that here today, buuuuuut-" he leaned closer, face darkening, "let this be a lesson to you. Even here, you should be on your guard. You two have been conked out for almost five minutes now."

Charlie clenched her fists, appropriately freaked out. Kakashi was right; how could she begin to go forth into this world as _blind _as she was? The man could've been about to kill them, and she would've been none the wiser.

It was one thing to be book smart. It was quite another to be street smart.

Naruto, sweat beading on his forehead, was also freaking out. "HOW DO WE GET OUT, KAKASHI-SENSEI?!"

The jounin chuckled, giving them an eye smile. "Today's lesson is on the genjutsu negation technique- called 'genjutsu kai'. It's simple: all you do is form the tiger seal- like _this_\- and stop the chakra flow in your body. Then, flare it, and if you do it strongly enough it should dispell the genjutsu."

Charlie frowned pensively, fingers falling into the tiger seal and eyes closing in concentration. How did one 'stop the flow of chakra'? '_Minato?_'

No response. Her brow ticked; it looked like there was another way to tell that she was in a genjutsu. If her body was technically 'asleep', or something close, he probably couldn't communicate to her this way. Alas, she would be figuring out this problem herself.

She felt for his chakra in her veins, and as was its wont, it roared to greet her like a still pond raising into a tsunami. '_Concentrate, concentrate,'_ she thought. '_You need to calm down._'

But reigning in such a powerful force is not easy. It _wanted _to be used, was chomping at the bit to do so. She'd have to expel a large amount of it before the day's end, it appeared.

"Sometimes, it helps to hum a single note under your breath to concentrate, or focus on a single point with your eyes. Both of you have annoyingly large pools of chakra, so controlling it completely is going to take more time," Kakashi voiced casually.

The redheaded girl's eyebrows furrowed in the center and, unbidden, she fell into the same habits she used to meditate in the mornings. It had felt different ever since she'd gained access to Minato's chakra, but it still worked well to help her calm down. Chakra hummed in her ears like a hive of worker bees, and yet, slowly, it mellowed again. A still, silent pond of water again.

Stopping it in its tracks was not a simple matter either, and from the sounds of Naruto's gruff muttering, she was not the only one having difficulty. It took long minutes before she felt comfortable enough to try to flare her chakra. She allowed energy to burst within her, felt it rush along muscles and through veins like warmth and ice.

When she opened her eyes again, she was on the ground. Beside her, Naruto was still prostrate on the ground, a trail of drool leading down his cheek.

She got on her hands and knees, still feeling a little strange from that 'exercise', and glanced upwards. Kakashi crossed his arms over his broad chest, seeming to grin at her. "Again," he said.

The wind stopped.

* * *

Naruto was grumbling again on their way home.

"Maaan, it took me an _hour _to get out of Kakashi-sensei's genjutsu the first time! How'd it only take you ten minutes?!" he cried, lacing his fingers behind his head. His features were pinched as they continued down the dimly lit street.

Charlie didn't mind the dark of the night, nor did she mind how quiet it was. In fact, it was rather tranquil. What she did mind, however... "How come you're whining so much?" she said, and smirked a little as he whirled on her.

His wide, too-blue eyes shone surprise. "Huh?"

"You're whining. You only whine about food and not getting to hang out with me. And you've had both. So what's up, buttercup?" She was relatively proud of her deductive skills when it came to Naruto. She knew very well by now what his baseline personality was- exuberant optimism with a smidge of cautious vulnerability. Any deviations were worrisome.

Naruto frowned. "Nothin'," he grunted, lowering his arms to his pockets with a small pout.

Charlie mimicked his expression, and grabbed his elbow to slow him as he'd started to walk faster. "Naru-chan," she said again, more steel in her voice. She forced him around to look at her. "I spend almost every waking minute with you. I know when something is bothering you. You almost never complain like this."

His lips quirked to the side. "I dunno, it's just annoying, I guess," he mumbled under his breath.

"What is?"

"You... making friends," he said eventually. He chanced a glance at her confused expression.

Naruto was mad that she was making friends? Charlie blinked; why would he-

"You're still upset that I talked to Sasuke-kun today, aren't you." It wasn't a question.

The blond ruffled his hair in irritation. "I-I mean yeah, kinda! It's just-" he made a frustrated noise. "I don't want- I don't want to..."

Charlie found herself smiling a little. She grabbed him into a hug, ignoring the words of discontent he threw at her. "You know you're my bestest friend, right?" A hesitant nod on her shoulder. "And you know you always will be, right?" He didn't answer, though he did press further into her neck. She tightened her arms around his middle. "It's okay to make new friends as long as you remember the ones you already have. Nothing has changed."

"B-But Sasuke-teme isn't nice! He always tries to one-up me!"

"Maybe he thinks that you're not nice, given that you call him 'teme'," Charlie replied sternly, feeling him stiffen in her arms. "Sasuke-kun is a reserved person, not necessarily a bad person. I think if you really tried, you two could be friends."

"I don't want to be friends with him. Why do you?"

"Because I can tell when people are alone in the dark," the redhead said. Naruto pulled away to stare at her. "And that doesn't mean he's a charity case. That doesn't mean you were, either. I just-" she looked away hesitantly. "I just don't like when people are in pain. Especially when they're good people. Especially when they're people I want to have around me."

Naruto got a strangely serious expression on his face, and for a split instant, he was the spitting image of his father. Then, he sighed, relaxing his shoulders. "Fine. If you're really so sure about that-" she glared, "-guy. I guess- I guess I can _try _to talk to him."

Charlie grinned a little as he pulled her into a hug of his own volition. Sometimes, things just work out.

* * *

**nashmeira: Riiight I've been setting up for the main storyline for what feels like forever but it's cool, I like Academy times. I haven't decided if Charlie should learn the Hiraishin or not, it feels kind of corny to have her learn it but at the same time it would be abundantly useful. I don't want her to become the 'Second Flash', y'know? Anyway, thanks for the review and support, hope you liked this chapter!**

**Lyrigami: It's so Danzou to pull something like that. Ugh hate him. I love Kakashi tho, but our poor OC just wants to be accepted ;_;. And yes, I feel like she would definitely feel some sort of chakra exhaustion, since they're both kind of 'sharing' it. I don't think Minato would be able to control the chakra unless he was in control of her body, but that would be kinda cool, ne?! Anyway, I feel like he's still kind of reeling over the fact that Obito was the one behind the Kyuubi attack, and I have a feeling he's very much disappointed in him. Some good angst for some chapters in the future, huh? Thanks for your review and continued support!**

**vyoom: Thank you for your kind words! Dialogue is my go-to since I feel like it makes the story progress faster. **

**wisteria hysteria: Thank you for your kind words and support! I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)**

**WendyLeaf: Thanks dude! I figured despite how much I like to read them I could never write one of the usual OC fics one sees on here, so I'm glad you're liking this! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you for your support!**

**Guest: Thank you! Hope you liked the chapter, sorry it took so long to update for some reason I had a hard time writing this!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hello! Long time no talk ;) Here's some fillery feel-good stuff while I figure out both my life and the entire course of this story. I've plotted to about chapter 37, though naturally I'm nowhere near complete. **

**Chapter 17**

... And sometimes they don't.

Air escaped her lungs in a whoosh as her back slammed into the tree. The wood creaked ominously behind her, as though it were close to falling. In her moment of shock, she fell to the ground on her ass, head spinning nauseously.

"Charlie-chan," Kakashi called from a few yards away. "The point of the shunshin is to go _forwards_-"

"I got that!" the redhead ground out. How had she gone _backwards_?

Back now aching and head throbbing, she got to her feet. They had been trying this technique for close to three days now, and she still didn't have the hang of it. It was honestly a little embarrassing- she _always _had a handle on things, after all. Even Naruto didn't go _backwards_.

"I need to work on something else before I go crazy," Charlie decided, running an agitated hand through her hair. On the other side of the field, Naruto successfully performed a series of backflips. "That's too flashy and slow!" she called, feeling particularly negative.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her but offered no further reply.

"Why don't you go bother that Uchiha you seem so taken by? You've been practicing for almost five hours now," Kakashi suggested. "I was about to wrap things up anyway." Charlie sighed, shoulders slumping helplessly. She knew the last part was added for her benefit. She doubted Naruto didn't have enough juice to keep going for another few _hours_.

"I'm not 'taken' by him, I'm just making him hang out with me to protect him from his fan club. But... maybe I can find a more sedentary thing to occupy my time?" she trailed off thoughtfully, finger going to her chin. Ever since coming to Konoha seven months ago, she hadn't had much time to be still.

"**You might like fuuinjutsu,**" Minato suggested. She almost chuckled; of course _he _would suggest something like that.

'_And what makes you think that?_'

"**Well, the fact that you'd be extraordinary at it. Your memory would be abundantly useful in such an** **art." **His tone was a bit wistful.

Charlie bit her lip and shucked her jacket back on from where it lied bundled under the tree. "I'll get going, then. Naru-chan, be home for dinner by nine, okay? I'll make noodles~"

"YATTA!" the blond called, standing on his hands. He trembled, before falling. "KUSO!"

Charlie deadpanned. "You're too exuberant," she added. Giving a single wave to Kakashi, she strolled past the chainlink fence of the training area, feeling a little defeated and just a smidgeon hopeful.

It had been over a month since the start of school, and she'd managed to mostly convince Sasuke to be her friend. She'd only managed to get him to train with her once (early in the morning, before almost anyone was awake), but it was just as productive as she thought it'd be, and she gained a bit of respect in his eye. To her surprise, they were neck-and-neck in taijutsu- she bested him in speed, he bested her in brute physical strength, and they were equal on stylistic grounds. It made him the perfect person to spar with.

"Perhaps I'll stop by there?" she wondered out loud, pausing in the middle of the street. She put a finger to her chin; the idea of getting into fuuinjutsu was tempting, as she really did enjoy learning new things, but she also wanted to spar...

Abruptly, she took a 180, deciding to do just that. Naruto would have his hands full for another two or so hours, and so she had plenty of time to bother Sasuke. Shoving her hands into her pockets, she grinned, and began the long walk to the outskirts of the village.

The first thing Sasuke said to her upon opening the door to her smiling face was, "What do you want?" Which, admittedly, was a little rude. She still had a little ways to go with the kid.

Regardless, her grin increased. "I came to hang out, of course!" she exclaimed.

"'Hang out'?" he echoed.

Charlie rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist, dragging him from the door and pausing only a moment to think up the best way to the nearest training ground.

Sasuke, busy trying to extricate himself from her iron grip, said, "It's a little late to train, don't you think?" Truthfully, the sun _had _begun its slow descent in the clear sky. Still, there was plenty of daylight left, and the weather was still rather nice.

"No excuses," Charlie hummed.

"If you wanted to train, you should've come earlier," Sasuke grouched.

They made it to a relatively small training area and Charlie rolled her shoulders, a mischievous grin teasing at her lips. She threw her jacket to the ground once more, watching Sasuke as he begrudingly started stretching. '_Wait for it...'_ She knew he would complain more. It would be the perfect opportunity.

Sure as the sun, a moment later the kid started, "You know, you can't just invite yourself-" and cut off as she lunged at him, barely managing to dodge.

She had a puckish smile on her face as she said, "A ninja should always be on his guard." Her opponent slid into what she now recognized as the Uchiha-style stance, face turning stony. "Feel free to use ninjutsu, by the way, as long as you don't shoot to kill. Let's have a real spar, okay?"

And off they went.

* * *

"Maaan, this is almost as hard as the bunshin," Naruto complained, muscles finally feeling the fatigue he'd been trying to deny for hours. Night had well and truly fallen over the teacher and student, and he shivered lightly as the breeze picked up. They had gotten over the worst of winter, but it wasn't completely out of the game yet.

"If I recall correctly, you still haven't mastered the bunshin, either," Kakashi said, in a tone that made the young jinchuuriki glare at him.

"Charlie can't do it either," Naruto snarked. It wasn't often there was something that _Charlie _couldn't do, and so he milked the situation for all it was worth. "_She _says it's because we have too much chakra. _She _says-"

"Maa, maa," his sensei waved a hand, "I know what she says. It's not happening. I would get into trouble for teaching you anything beyond the simple bunshin."

Still, the man sat down next to the exhausted boy anyway. When he glanced down at him, Naruto couldn't help but think there was _some _semblance of affection in that dark eye of his. "You know, you _will_ need it to graduate..."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto pouted. It wasn't _his _fault his reserves were so big. Who knew such a thing could end up being a hindrance? He fell onto his back, hands cushioning his head in the tall grass. As usual, the stars were brilliantly clear in the sky. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Mh?"

Blame it on his suddenly sentimental mood, but the blond said, "Thanks for teaching us, -ttebayo." He hardly had time to contemplate it when they were together, but Kakashi had truly gone out of his way to train them. That was... a rarity, for him. An aberration. For someone who had had to fight tooth and nail for what he had, it was nice to finally manage to get ahead some, to get recognized some.

Kakashi gave him his signature eye smile and ruffled his hair. "Perhaps you should head home. It's almost nine, ne?"

Blue eyes widened comically. "I forgot! If I'm late-" he cut off, shivering and pale.

Kakashi raised a slime eyebrow. "Is she that scary when she's mad?" he asked. He'd heard much of the fiery temper of some of the women in the village, but from all he could see, she was a relatively calm girl. Sure, she got frustrated, but he'd never felt outright _anger _from her.

"I-It's worse!" Naruto whispered, holding his elbows and quivering. "S-S-She gets this disappointed look in her eye, and looks like a kicked puppy. A-A-And you start to feel bad, and the mo-moment you do, she whacks you with whatever she's holding!" He wouldn't be able to tell Kakashi all of the things the smaller girl had hit him with over the half-year they'd spent together. A soup ladle was her favorite, followed by her sandal, her kunai pouch, or his least favorite, _her fists_.

Kakashi chuckled. "Then you better hurry home, huh?" he said.

The boy needed no further prompting before he was off like a shot. Dust kicked up in his wake as he darted through the (thankfully now deserted) streets of his village.

Naruto was _this close _to trying to use the shunshin as he made his way home, but decided that he didn't want any more bruises today, nor did he want to run into every wall, branch, and person in the 5-yard-radius he currently had for the technique.

Thankfully, he arrived home only two minutes past 9, and only spared a moment to throw on clean clothes before going over to beat down Charlie's door.

The redhead was smiling as she answered the door, though her eyebrow raised slowly in response to his heaving chest. "Are you okay?" she asked, the 'hello' dying on her lips.

"Didn't wanna be late," Naruto got out, before slumping exhaustedly against the doorframe. God, his legs burned.

He watched unamused as Charlie laughed at him and pulled him in by his hand. "Am I _that _scary?" she asked him, still chuckling as she sat him down in her living room. Bowls were already set out, though the food was regrettably nowhere in sight.

"YES!" he shouted at her innocent look. Sky blue eyes took in the coffee table with a bit of confusion; why had she sat out three bowls? Weren't there only two of them?

"Charlie, you're out of soap," said an annoyingly familiar voice from the hall. Naruto froze as Uchiha Sasuke padded into view with socked feet and a bored expression on his face.

"There's soap in the kitchen, then," Charlie said casually, shoving the sullen boy out of the way with a playful shoulder as she went to retrieve the food. He followed on her tail, washing his hands rather aggressively before coming back out to the living room. Naruto stiffened under his gaze.

Sasuke didn't seem to notice, or care. "I thought I heard you," he said (in that dull tone of his).

Naruto shifted uneasily as his expression morphed into a small glare. Over the past few weeks, the two had come to the same conclusion that they would tolerate each other in Charlie's presence for her sake. But that didn't make it any easier not to call him 'bastard' or any derivative thereof. It was what he'd been calling him his whole life before Charlie came around.

"What are _you _doing here?" the blond couldn't keep the accusatory note out of his voice, as much as he tried.

Black eyes rolled as the Uchiha sat seiza-style in front of the bowl opposite to him. "Charlie invited me," he retorted flatly. Naruto narrowed his eyes at him- now that he looked, he could see the fine layer of grime and sweat on the other kid's face, his clothes. She must've taken Kakashi-sensei's advice to seek him out.

It still bothered him that she actively sought the guy's friendship. Wasn't _he _enough? Well, logically he knew he was- Charlie still hung out with him every day, and she was right- nothing had changed between them. But the fickle green monster of jealousy was not one to calm easily. Naruto couldn't help wanting Charlie all to himself- she was his best friend, after all.

And so the air between the two boys was a bit uneasy as Charlie returned to them with a large wok balanced on her hip. Naruto's mouth watered as he smelled the unmistakable aroma of udon- it was not ramen, but it was a close second in his mind. Charlie always made the best food.

The redhead smirked at them as their stomachs growled in unison. "Eat up, I made a lot," she said as she dished out the food with tongs. Udon noodles in some sort of spicy and salty sauce with chicken and cabbage and onions and carrots- oh, he could eat this all day, but he waited impatiently as she dished it out and sat down to join them.

"Itadakimasu!" the trio announced grandly, before the feasting began.

Nothing much was said during that dinner. Naruto was okay with that- he was too busy stuffing his face, anyway. Charlie seemed to relish the comfortable quiet, a small curve to her lips as she finished first and watched the two finish after. It became a bit of a battle to him to eat more than _that bastard, _but if Charlie cared, she didn't say so. She just continued to fill their bowls more and more before they both tapped out at the same time, stuffed.

As his food coma took over, Naruto leaned back into the couch, allowing his head to fall onto the cushion languorously. Despite Sasuke's presence, the meal had been good, and the atmosphere was cozy. Charlie's apartment was warmer than his own- he had to suspect the landlord for that one- and he found his eyes closing a bit.

He could've complained about Sasuke, could've grumbled more about how he was in Charlie's house, eating her food, when it usually was just the two of them. If he tried, he would probably be able to get angry at him. But... what use was it, he told the green monster, to be angry that Charlie was making friends?

Hadn't she made enough food for all three of them?

If he got past his pride, Naruto knew logically that while Sasuke was, indeed, high and mighty, and while he- his eye twitched- was a _teensy _bit better of a student, he wasn't necessarily a _bad _guy. Sure, they butted heads, but Naruto didn't _hate _the guy- he was just a little jealous of him. Didn't that reflect on himself, though? Didn't that mean that he needed to work harder, so that they stood on equal ground?

Before he could think more about _potentially trying _to be friends with Sasuke, his head rolled a bit, and he fell asleep right there.

* * *

Charlie was careful to be quiet as she stacked their bowls three-high and grabbed the chopsticks to be washed. Sasuke was staring pensively out her window, watching the lights of their village dim one-by-one. Naruto was well and truly dead to the world, a thin line of spit trailing from the corner of his mouth to his ear. If she'd had a camera, she'd have taken a picture.

Alas, she did not, and contented herself with chuckling at the sight before bringing the dishes with her to the kitchen. She turned the sink on low and began the tedious task of cleaning them- she never liked dishes to pile up, after all.

"**This evening seems peculiarly solemn," **Minato noted, speaking the thoughts she'd been having for the last half hour.

'_It does feel a little weird,_' Charlie acquiesced. Thin eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she reached a particularly tough spot on Naruto's bowl. '_Like this is the last time we'll eat together for a long time._' She would never have mentioned it to the boys, but darker thoughts had been swarming in her head tonight. It felt as though some dark cloud leered over her head, casting an odd mood over her. Like it knew things would go downhill.

Like it knew she could never be so lucky for things to remain the same.

She didn't want to think about that. That the world was on some sort of precipice, and that everything would change the moment the two boys went home for the night. She couldn't help her hand stilling on the scrub brush, fingers tightening. '_I want everything to stay like this,_' she thought, chagrined. '_I don't- I don't want the future to happen. I want Naruto to be safe.'_

**"I want those things, too." **Minato's voice was appropriately plaintive. **"When I... was still alive, I thought those things desperately. I fought to keep those children safe, and yet- and yet, the war broke us still. I wasn't strong enough to protect them from what they saw on those missions. I couldn't keep it from coming home with them. So... we did what we could. We'd have dinners just like this one, my precious genin, Kushina. And we savored them with every fiber of our beings." **

'_I keep thinking that if I plan enough, somehow I'll be able to protect him, protect everyone, from what happens in the future. But..._' But at the end of the day, she was a drop in the ocean.

**"There is something I realized long ago, and that is that no matter how much you fight to keep the innocent innocent, people still die. That is a fact of life, a fact of _their _lives. Peace... is not so easy to come by. So, Charlie- and I mean this in the nicest way possible- get over it, and _smile_. The future will happen whether you're standing alone in the dark or sitting out there with your friends, so you might as well embrace it, right?" **

Charlie's lips pressed together ruefully as she carefully set down the half-clean bowl. '_You're a pretty good councilor, Minato,_' she said, and padded back out into the living room. Okay, so maybe he was right and she was just being a downer. She wasn't trying to be, truly, but- well, she was the type to worry until she was blue in the face. And, well... she could hardly look at Sasuke without thinking about whom he might become. She couldn't look at Naruto without thinking about what he might have to go through.

Such was the frailty of knowing the future, she supposed.

Her boys were where she'd left them, still alive and warm with their bellies full. Sasuke turned to give her a confused assessment, and Naruto was still slumped against the couch.

"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows furrowing.

The redhead sweatdropped. "Ah, still so cold~" she replied, satisfied when the boy rolled his eyes. "Nothing's wrong, besides Naruto getting his spit on my couch." She came around to sit on her cushion again, and leaned her elbow on the coffee table and her head in her hand as she watched the tired blond. "We were training for hours."

"You almost won our spar, even after hours of training," Sasuke said dully. "If you can stay awake right now, he should be able to as well."

She gave the boy a close-eyed smile. "Oh, quit being sullen. You're just mad that we tied. Didn't I say you could use ninjutsu against me, by the way? I'm sure you would've won that way."

To her surprise, a faint dusting of pink came to his pale cheeks, and he glared at a space above her head. "I didn't want to throw a fireball at you," he revealed, grimacing.

"Oh? Going easy on me, were you?" Charlie leaned forward, smirking. "Well, I guess I'll just have to do something about that, huh?"

Sasuke gave a longsuffering sigh, and looked towards the heavens as though they would save him from her taunts. "Please stop."

* * *

When Naruto woke up again, it was to quiet voices a few yards away from him. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep for, but given that his neck wasn't cricked from that weird position, it probably wasn't long. Exhausted cyan eyes opened, staring around lazily until they caught sight of Charlie and Sasuke a few paces away. They were out on the balcony, the door half shut and allowing cold air to permeate the apartment.

Groaning as his body gave a full-force _ache_, Naruto heaved himself to his feet, slumping over to greet them halfheartedly. "What time izzit?" he mumbled blearily.

Sasuke made an annoyed sound. "Almost midnight, dobe. You should be going home." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

Naruto ignored the attitude and turned to Charlie, who was giving the Uchiha a nasty look for calling him 'dobe'. The blond would never get over another person defending him. "How come you guys are standing out here? It's cold."

"But look at the stars, though," Charlie said, one nimble finger pointing skywards. Bright luminescent specks dotted the indigo space, not a cloud in sight.

Naruto puffed out his lip. "S'nothin' special," he insisted, "it's always like that." The weather in Konoha was famously mild, after all.

"Doesn't it make you feel tiny?" Charlie asked, blowing right past his blunt statement. Her face was turned up to the stars, and she didn't turn to look at either of them. She looked lost in thought.

"Nah," Sasuke mumbled, "just that the world's big."

Finally, Charlie's finger flagged, and she glanced at the two boys with a little smile. "I guess that's another way to look at it."

* * *

**hotxhotguy: Do it I thirst for death! I'm jk I hope u don't mind that this was kind of filler-y.**

**IronyIsMyName: I originally wrote this for my home state which is not tree-y and never changed it, I apologize that I've offended u enough for you to comment on it. I hope u can forgive this offense and comfort yourself with the knowledge that I have changed it just for you!**

**GraceHeart27: Aw thank you so much for your sweetness! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, it's just a lil somethin while I figure out the destination for this story. I'll make sure to put more Minato into the coming chapters!**

**Lyrigami: I do hope so with all the extra work he's putting in! I do eventually hope to put ~some~ fuuinjutsu into her repertoire, but it'll probably be a bit of a ways off. You're probably right regarding the Hiraishin- I've been kind of 'meh' on adding it in because I feel like that's a bit corny, but what do you think? I hope she gets a summons too~. Thanks for your continued support!**

**AomeAzakura: I hope you liked this one~! Thank you for your review friend :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hello friends! Thank you for your patience in waiting for this new chapter. I've actually been working on another fic I'm preparing to release the first chapters of soon, so if you've ever read/watched Bungou Stray Dogs, keep an eye on my page ;). In other news, I start school in about a week and half, but never fear, I would never abandon a fic- or at the very least, without proper warning. Like I said, updates are irregular and whenever I have the time to work on them. Finally, I've rushed through to the graduation exam for this chapter, so if it seems like there's a lot of jumping around, there is. Next chapter, we get straight into plot things! Enjoy~**

**Chapter 18**

"Finally! Thank _God_," Charlie gasped out, falling onto skinned knees and hands with a dramatic flourish. She was drenched in sweat, covered in dirt and grime and blood, and yet she'd _done _it, finally.

From the sidelines, Kakashi was clapping in a subdued sort of fashion. "It took you long enough," he said dryly.

Hazel eyes rolled. It had been roughly a week, and she could now finally, _finally _shunshin- albeit not very far, but _still_. With a small exhausted smile, she rolled onto her back and stuck her hands under her head. The weather was starting to reach more _convenient _temperatures, but the grass was still cold underneath her. "Does this mean you'll finally teach me a sweet sweet ninjutsu technique?" she asked.

Kakashi pocketed his porn and gave one of his signature sighs. "You still haven't gotten the bunshin down. How do you expect to graduate like this? You should be spending your time on _that_, instead."

Charlie grimaced. T'was true enough. Neither her nor Naruto had had any luck with the technique, and as much as she told herself it wasn't her fault, it still stung a little to be reminded. "All of this will go away if you just teach us one requiring more chakra," she grumbled.

From his spot clear across the field, Naruto screamed his concurrence. He, too, was working on the shunshin- though admittedly, he could go a lot farther.

"And as I said, I would get in trouble for doing such a thing. Now, regroup kids, we're done with shunshin today. Let's talk about something more _interesting_."

'_The last time he said that, he went on and on for fifteen minutes about the newest edition of Icha Icha,_' Charlie thought, unimpressed. She sat cross-legged in front of the man anyway, figuring if he wasted her time she'd just go home to thumb through the fuuinjutsu textbook she'd borrowed from the library.

Minato's laughter echoed in her head, and she grinned to herself.

"Situational awareness," Kakashi announced grandly. He crossed his arms proudly over his chest, as though it were the most important thing he'd said all day.

Beside her, Naruto was rocking from side to side. "What's that?" he asked impatiently.

"Situational awareness is defined as the three phase process of taking in present-"

"_I'm _the sensei, not you, Charlie-chan," the silver haired jounin whined. The girl pursed her lips. "Situational awareness is defined as the three phase process of-"

She couldn't help but let out an annoyed groan.

Kakashi glared, "-taking in present elements and events, comprehending them, and predicting what they can mean for the future," he finished.

Naruto cocked his head, looking about as lost as a seven year old in Walmart. "I feel like... you could've said that simpler?"

Charlie laughed and knocked his shoulder as their teacher withered in front of them. "Let's... just start the exercises?" the man whispered.

A short period later saw the two strung up by their ankles.

Charlie grit her teeth as the ground swirled nauseously below her and reached into her pouch for a knife, muttering under her breath. Alongside her, her blond companion crossed his arms over his chest, nodding to himself.

"Oh, so _that's _what it means," the boy said. "Seeing _underneath the underneath_, right?"

"I guess," Charlie grunted, slashing the rope that held her and barely managing to land feet-first. "How are we supposed to-" she cut off, hitting the deck hard as a barrage of shuriken came at her. "One of these days, Kakashi," she swore, and shunshined to where Naruto was now extricating himself. It kind of worked, though she overshot herself into a bush.

Holding a knife out ready to parry any incoming strikes, she said, "Let's divide and conquer. He's probably gonna try to get you in a genjutsu, so _pay att- _Naruto!"

The boy's eyes swirled, unconscious already and rope half-cut. Kakashi stood on the branch above him, looking _way _too superior. "You were saying?"

Charlie scowled, and felt the absurd urge to stomp her foot. "That's not fair you-! You!"

**"Don't be touchy," **Minato urged, **"just focus on how to save him." **

'_Any words of advice, there, chief?' _she thought. Nervous sweat was already building on her brow- she hated how futile it always seemed to try to survive against Kakashi.

"**Do your best and have fun?" **

She deadpanned.

Withdrawing six shuriken from her pouch, she chucked half at the rope and half at Kakashi's feet. His jump to avoid them coincided with Naruto's descent to the hard earth below.

And because of her tenuous hold on the shunshin, she didn't reach him in time to halt his crash landing. Or hers, for that matter, as she ended up stumbling into the tree. '_Oh, well_,' she thought, rubbing her aching nose and heaving the limp body of her friend over her shoulder. '_That's what he gets for getting knocked out.' _

Kakashi was suddenly nowhere to be seen, which put her on edge more than anything else. She paused a moment, stretching her senses in a weak attempt to track his whereabouts. Unfortunately for her, jounin weren't so easily discovered.

Charlie swallowed a stressed sound and wandered into a denser crowd of trees and shrubs.

Minato chuckled nervously. "**You should probably wake him up. Carrying him will weigh you down, you know...**"

Oh, yeah. She forgot that she could do that. Padding silently into a tall bush, she laid Naruto down none-too-gently. "Kai!" she whispered, flaring her chakra. If she remembered correctly, it required quite a bit more energy to upset the balance in someone else's system, so she threw more into the pot than was probably necessary.

The kid woke with a start, and then a groan. "Haaah? Why does my neck hurt?" He held one hand to the back of it as he sat bolt upright.

Ignoring him, Charlie rose to her feet, a bit proud at having nailed it so well. "We can talk about it later. Don't get caught by his genjutsu again, dummy. Now, let's work on how to incapacitate him-"

The two parted quickly as kunai littered the soft earth underneath where they'd been seconds ago. "You two are getting better at sensing me," Kakashi voiced, form appearing from the darkness a few yards away.

"Maybe you're just going easy on us," Charlie taunted, knowing it was foolish of her to do so. It was true, though, right? And enemy ninjas weren't about to go easy on them.

Naruto didn't seem to agree, shooting daggers at her from his spot behind a distant tree. '_What are you doing, idiot?!' _he mouthed.

"Oh? You want me to be tougher, huh?" Kakashi's visible eye crinkled as he held his hands at his hips. "Fine, then. But don't say I didn't warn you-"

"Charlie, I will _kiiiillll-_"

I will spare the reader the next hour of torture our poor heroes endured.

As they walked (read: stumbled) home that night, the air was as still as a pond. Villagers were still milling about, as they had called it quits a bit earlier that night than most, and gave the two kids confused glances as they slumped by. Behind them, their demon of a sensei had both of his hands in his pockets and a comfortable air of nonchalance.

"Oi, Kaka-sensei, I think you worked us too hard today," Naruto grumbled, scratching a bit of dried mud off his chin. Charlie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She could see her exhaustion mirrored in his expression and the tired puffiness around his eyes.

A small smile lit her lips. He had tried hard today. Not that he didn't try hard every day, but- well, did it make her sound like a fond old granny if she said that she could see the man he would become one day? Because she could. It was obvious in his confident stride, in the determined glint in his gaze. Sure, he might still be a brat _now_\- and hell knew how much he still tested shinobi and civilian alike with his pranks- but he wouldn't always be.

"You think so?" Kakashi remarked blandly. The way his visible eye creased, Charlie could tell he was smirking. '_Butthole,'_ she thought, with only a whisp of affection. He only worked them this hard because he cared (a far cry from how they started out)- that didn't mean she couldn't complain about it though. Her _everything _hurt.

And it wasn't like he shot to miss, either. She had many fine slices along her arms and face from where his shuriken had made their marks.

"Yeah. Is this like... child abuse?" Naruto continued.

Charlie choked. "Er-"

"In not so many words," replied their cheerful sensei. Suddenly, his wide hands landed on both of their heads, mussing the strands casually. "But your sensei has your best interest at heart, don't worry~"

The redhead pouted a bit, hands already reaching up to fix her hair. The rest of the walk home was in comfortable silence, until the two got to their apartment building. Kakashi, for some reason, had stayed alongside them the whole way, though they'd already passed his residence.

"By the way, kids," Kakashi said, hands casually in his pockets. "I won't be teaching you much more regarding techniques- mostly because you need to understand that there is more to being a ninja than using flashy ninjutsu. Our first lesson began today. We're going to continue it for the next week or so."

"You mean on situational awareness?" Naruto piped up, looking confused and a little dejected that he wouldn't be learning any ninjutsu.

"Part of it. If you want to be a ninja, and I mean _really want_, you have to realize that it is more than just being physically strong. It is a dangerous way to live your life, and I would be doing you a disservice by not teaching you how to live it." Charlie's fists clenched behind her back. She didn't like when he sounded all serious- she knew he was a much more serious person than he let on, but... he'd always been more jovial with them.

"I'll see you in a few days, my cute little students," Kakashi finished, giving them his signature eye smile before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto and Charlie glanced at each other. What was that all about?

* * *

True to his word, Kakashi never did train them in any cool ninjutsu techniques. He was of the belief that it was their _future_ jounin sensei's duty to teach them those, not their _current_. Charlie hadn't put up much of a fight, mostly because she could learn them just as well without him as she could _with _him- she had Minato, after all- but partially because what he taught them was _genuinely useful._

He didn't teach them any more taijutsu, though they sparred and exercised daily. He didn't bother with genjutsu, since they knew how to disarm it. Chakra use was limited to water and tree walking, things they already had in their repertoire. What he _did _teach them?

How to pitch a tent.

How to start a fire.

How to catch fish in running water.

How to find food in the forest, and what _not _to eat.

How to make a tourniquet.

How to spot an enemy ninja's presence, even if their chakra was muted.

So on, and so on.

As it turned out, there were numerous things that she _had not known_. It was a bit embarrassing for her, someone as book smart as she was, to be completely ignorant of how to survive on her own. Not that Naruto knew about it either, judging from the wide-eyed looks he gave during each lesson. Still, as the months rolled past, they learned.

Being a ninja was more than being stronger than the other guy. It was a headspace. It was a way to interpret the world. Granted, not a _healthy _way to interpret the world, as Kakashi had instilled in them an ongoing, paranoid _vigilance _that never seemed to stop, even when they were relaxing at home. No, being a ninja was not a healthy thing to be, and the fact that shinobi generally die young was not hidden from them. But he taught them the truth.

"Your hair's getting long, Charlie," Kakashi said, a few months into their stint. They were currently in the middle of some forest just outside the village gates, sat in a semi-circle as Naruto cooked fish over a fire.

Charlie batted away the smoke coming towards her and coughed. "I don't know any good hairdressers," she replied jokingly. The red strands now rested below her collarbone in the front, and stretched halfway down her spine in the back. Her hair had always grown like a wildfire.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You should probably cut it when you get the chance. There's a salon in the shopping district called 'Kaoru's Curls', it's pretty cheap."

"Why?" Naruto complained, glancing at their sensei. "I like her hair!"

"Because it's just another thing for an enemy ninja to grab onto," Kakashi replied shortly. "That's how many kunoichi get captured. Why they choose to let it grow so long is beyond me."

"Because it's pretty," Naruto retorted.

Charlie laughed a little. "No, he's right, Naru-chan. Besides, I don't need long hair to be pretty, right?"

The blond flushed, and mumbled under his breath as he turned back to the fire. Even _his _hair had grown a bit on the longer side over the while that she'd known him. He'd never gone to a barber in the entire time she'd been there, and as a result, he looked evermore like a porcupine. "Maybe we'll go get our hair cut together. You look raggedy," she continued.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her. "Bleh! I ain't going to a salon, Charlie!"

Hazel eyes narrowed.

"...Whatever. I'll do it before we graduate," he mumbled, shifting on his haunches uneasily.

"Speaking of graduation," Kakashi piped up. "You both graduate in a few weeks, right?"

The two nodded. "Provided we pass the test, that is," Charlie added.

Their teacher hummed. "I suppose we won't be seeing each other much after that," he said to himself.

"Whaddayamean?" Naruto frowned at him, and then cursed as he saw the overly crispy fish. "S-crap..." He pulled it off the flames and gave Charlie a sheepish look as he handed it to her.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, you will be with your new jounin senseis. Trust me, they will put you through the ringer enough to where you won't even _want _extra training."

"Hey now, that's quitter talk," Charlie grunted. "And anyway, we're family now, like it or not. So we can hang out with you whenever we please, whether it's at a training field or in the Akimichi district eating barbecue."

The man's lone dark eye settled searchingly on her. His expression was unreadable (not that there was much _to _read), but judging from how Minato flared to the forefront of her mind, his chakra must've been fluctuating like crazy.

Ignoring the obvious and sudden tension in the air, Naruto settled back on his bottom. "Ah... barbecue..." he mumbled wistfully. "Barbecue... pork, chicken... _steak..._."

Settling her jaw firmly, Charlie gave the man a stern nod. '_Like it or not_,' she'd said, and she'd meant it. And if he didn't want to be family, he could be her friend- she didn't care which, so long as he wasn't alone. She knew all to well what loneliness was. "Naruto, you're burning Kaka-sensei's fish," the redhead said, gaze not leaving the older man.

"Sh- crap! I really can't do this right," the blond grunted, pulling the skewer off the flames and holding it out over his shoulder. "Here. I'll get the next ones right, I swear."

"At least it's not a complete lost cause," Kakashi replied, taking it from the boy slowly. "I think there's at least two edible bites on this fish..."

Charlie smiled a little, looking down at her own burnt fish. Truly, the only portion worth eating was the thicker part of the belly- the rest was blackened to bits. "He's right, you're doing better Naru-chan. Just in time for your own fish."

The blond pouted at her, sky blue eyes watery from the smoke, and she couldn't resist elbowing him.

This wasn't there first night camping, not by a long shot. In fact, they spent many many nights under the stars- most of it was behind the gates of their village, as you never know who might come along, but they spent a night or two outside of it as well. All a part of their training regime, one which was going to be drawing to a close soon enough.

She took a thoughtful nip at the fish, fighting down a grimace- he truly had ruined it. "I'm gonna miss nights like these," she spoke up abruptly, surprising herself. Charlie wasn't usually one to talk about her own feelings much, or at least the ooshy-gooshy kind.

"Me too," Naruto acknowledged. He grabbed his own skewer and leveled it over the fire. "It's been fun."

Kakashi seemed to sigh a little as he stared down at his fish. Two bites were all he'd gotten out of it, as he'd predicted. He set it aside and leaned back on his elbows, head tilted up to stare at the indigo sky above them. Then he glanced over, saw his two companions staring meaningfully at him, and rolled his eye. "It's been alright," he hummed noncommitally.

Charlie sweatdropped. '_Kakashi... will always be Kakashi._'

* * *

Charlie had a hard time sleeping.

It was not that she didn't _need _the sleep- God, no. She was so bone-tired that she wondered if the bags below her eyes would ever recede. It was more that sleep evaded her. Her brain, buzzing like a beehive, desperately wanted more time to prepare. So much so that it took it from the only place it could, at the detriment of her mental health.

And despite Minato's chiding, despite many hours lying uselessly in bed, despite _herself_, nothing would stop her overactive brain from overacting.

So the night before graduation, as per usual, was a sleepless one. Instead of spending it in her bed, she spent it in her living room, doing what she did best. (Studying, that is.)

Fuuinjutsu had become a bit of a side-preoccupation, something to do on sleepless nights like these, or on her break days. She hadn't managed to get too far into it. Her brain could recognize symbols, could read the meaning of probably any seal under the sun, and yet-

Well, she'd never really been one for the _arts_.

**"Charlie," **Minato sighed delicately, **"You need to use lighter strokes than that..."**

The redhead pouted, crumpling up the piece of paper and throwing it over her shoulder. The seal was ruined. "If I use lighter strokes, it comes out all shaky!" she complained, dropping her brush into the jar of ink. So far, she'd managed to incorporate simple explosive tags into her repertoire. Sometimes, her seals would be clear enough that she could even make a storage seal. But almost everything else was a hopeless _fail_.

**"That's because you're scared to mess up,"** he replied wisely. Hazel eyes rolled- he was always _wise_, she supposed, but it didn't make him less irritating.

Okay, maybe that was a bit mean. She wouldn't have survived the past few months without his encouragement. But still, he had a habit of being too candid for his own good. '_Can you stop reading my mind, please?'_ she grumbled. She had put messy silencing seals around her apartment, but she doubted they did much. And she knew conclusively that she was an object of interest- if Danzou and his cronies thought she wasn't onto them, they were _wrong_.

**"It's hard not to. You think pretty loudly,"** he joked.

Charlie quirked her lips. That was another thing that was a bit irritating about him. Endless positivity and lightheartedness. She _knew _he didn't feel that way all the time, just like she knew her own emotions. Why did he bother disguising them? From _her_, of all people?

Her knees ached as she stood from the hard ground. An exhaustion headache was teasing behind her eyes, and it was all she could do to make it to the couch before dropping unceremoniously. The clock on the wall read 4 AM. '_Maybe I'll just lie here a while.'_

* * *

When she opened her eyes again, she was in the pale abyss of her subconscious.

Minato blinked at her from the ground. His hands were laced behind his head, and he wore the same Hokage haori and flak jacket as usual.

"..." Charlie scratched her head awkwardly. "I think I'm lost? And... normal-sized?" She glanced down at her hands, twice the size they were regularly. And as a bonus, the floor seemed farther away, too.

The kind of dysphoria that came from suddenly aging eight years again was hard to describe. She surely wasn't used to her 11-year-old body still (her mind would always be that of an adult, after all), but seeing herself the size she _should _be felt off now, too.

Her blond companion rose to his feet, a quick smile curling his lips. "Probably a stress reaction, huh?"

It was weird to see him again, too. She supposed if she'd tried hard enough, she could've visited him like this sooner- but it felt different talking to him face-to-face than it did when he was just a voice in her head. Not _bad_, necessarily, but... could she call it awkward? Or perhaps a different term?

"Stress reaction?" she echoed. Her arms crossed defensively. "I'm not-"

He rolled his eyes, which seemed so unlike him that she stiffened up. "Charlie, if I didn't know you by now, I would be a lousy friend." He stood in front of her now, still a head or so taller despite her recent jump in height. "I'm stressed too, you know," he added.

She found it in herself to glower at him for all of five or so seconds before she threw her arms up. "Ugh! So what if I'm a little off my game! The plot starts _tomorrow_, you know! How would_ you _feel?!" He raised an eyebrow. "Shut up, you know what I mean."

"You don't need to justify yourself to me. Come on, sit down." Minato plopped down, crossing his legs casually.

"No, you're trying to be all comforting and I don't want it," Charlie retorted. "I work best under pressure."

He rested his head on his fist. "Obviously not, considering your subconscious brought you here." To her glare, he continued hastily, "It's not like I'm judging or anything! But... I mean, even though you have me to help you, even though you have Naruto and Sasuke... don't think I can't tell when you're feeling alone, or scared."

An embarrassed flush colored her cheeks. "Yeah, well, so what?" She scuffed her Converse below her pointedly. _Now _she was feeling the awkward.

"You're still lost, Charlie, even with me here, and even with all you've done. And there's a trillion things you'll have to do in the future to make the world a peaceful one. But despite that, ever since you got here, I've never seen you ask for a hug from anyone."

Charlie scowled, but turned her glare in the other direction as her eyes watered dangerously. "I don't need stuff like that. I've never needed stuff like that." It wasn't a lie; showing weakness to others was not something she was in the habit of doing. Her own parents had never seen her cry. She'd never needed anything like _emotional support_\- that was for weak people, something she most certainly was not.

She had rolled through middle and high school years younger than the rest. She had been bullied relentlessly. She had ignored all of them, had made next to no friends the entire time. She had walked a path far from other people, had amassed a wealth of success from doing so. She had been ready for the cutthroat world of adults before she'd passed her fifteenth year. And she'd never cried, not once. She'd never needed anyone's help, neither teacher nor professor nor parent nor therapist. She was not weak, then.

And she didn't think she was weak now. Comparably, she was much, much stronger than she'd ever been before. Physically, no doubt, but she had withstood being placed in this alien world for thirteen long months- over a year. Didn't that make her strong? Why would she need _a hug _now, after everything?

But then he was hugging her somehow, and she was crying again. It would be the second time she cried on him, and the third? time he'd eeked a hug out of her despite her reservations about such things. She didn't have the strength to wrap her arms around him, but he held her tight enough for the both of them.

She was never good with feelings. Something so _base_ had never been a part of the equation for a person like her. It was hard to recognize the emotions inside herself, harder still to react to them in a healthy way. But they spilled forth from her anyway, a cascade of tears and whimpers muffled into his shoulder. How odd it was, she felt absently, that he recognized them first. And yet it was just like him.

She said something like, "I don't know, I can't do this, how can- how am I supposed to-" '_You can't ask me to change the future.'_

To which he replied, "Even if you don't, you'll figure it out. I have faith in you." '_Of anyone, anyone, I'm asking you.'_

"But I'm not- I can't- it's so _blurry- _what about _Naruto- what if-_" '_Please don't put your faith in me. I can't bear the _guilt._'_

"From the very beginning, I knew nothing would happen to him with you by his side." '_Protect him a little more for me.'_

'_I don't deserve anything you've given me.'_

'_I'd hand you the moon, if I could_.'

They didn't say those words. As it was, all that left her lips were quaking murmurs, and all he could reply with were quiet platitudes. The funny thing about their fucked up situation was, those words weren't even needed for their meaning to be conveyed.

And so when she pulled away from him, drying her eyes roughly on her sleeve, she felt marginally more determined than she'd been before. "We have a plan," was the first thing that popped into her head.

Minato blinked in surprise at her abrupt change in demeanor, but then he smiled at her, a genuine one that crinkled his eyes in the corners. "We have."

"And we've been training like crazy for over a _year_." Which she was quite proud of, thank you very much.

"Correct," he hummed.

"And if I need help-"

"You don't even have to ask." His eyes bore into hers steadily. They were darker than Naruto's, she noticed, just a shade or two.

A small sigh left her lips, just a little relieved.

Maybe she was still incredibly worried, but at least they had a _plan, _right? As long as she stayed close to the rambunctious little blond, nothing untoward would happen to him. "I have to say, I'm still worried about team assignments..." As far as the class went, she was an outlier. Her presence would immediately push out one of the Rookie 9- it wasn't that she was being arrogant in thinking so, but... well, it was the truth. Only 9 graduates. Who did she inadvertently kick to the curb?

"I wonder what will happen. I do hope he doesn't mess up the prearranged groups I gave him," she mumbled, scratching her chin. She'd handed him the piece of paper via messenger hawk, but the fact was, she hadn't been to see him in months. She could only hope the hawk wasn't interrupted and that the Hokage would trust her words.

Minato shrugged. "Part of it isn't up to him, you know. The elite jounin are the ones who get the final say, he just... _encourages_."

Charlie pouted. "Well, be that as it may. I won't be able to predict anything as well if they mess up the teams. Maybe I should bomb the graduation exam..." She'd be left at the Academy for at least another few months and unable to move, but... well, it was for the good of the plot.

"Perhaps we can finagle our way into convincing Hokage-sama to allow a fourth team pass," Minato replied, though his tone was doubtful.

Despite herself, Charlie smiled a little. "You said 'finagle'..."

"...What? What's wrong with 'finagle'?"

"The last person I heard use the word 'finagle' was my 85-year-old grandmother." She chuckled as she watched his eyebrow tick and an embarrassed flush light his cheeks.

"Charlie," he whined. "I'm being serious."

She sighed again. "I know, I know. So was my grandmother."

The redhead was proud to say that she was finally able to get him to glare at her.

* * *

Charlie awoke groggy the next morning to Naruto banging on her door. "CHAAAARLIE! WE'RE LATE!" the kid was shouting.

Hazel eyes drifted lazily to the clo- _five minutes until class started_.

Jumping off the couch and pulling on her shoes, Charlie didn't even register Naruto's belated fist hitting her in the face as she swung open the door and grabbed him by the collar. "_SHIT!"_ she screeched.

"Erm- Ch-Charlie?" the blond stuttered, feet flying out from under him as his body fluttered in her wake. "L-Let's just shunshin theeeere- hey!"

They stood in front of the conical red building as if they'd always been there. Naruto collapsed predictably on the ground; though he had enough skill to catapult himself to a maximum of ten yards with his shunshin (which was nothing to thumb one's nose to), _she_ could've been called the second coming of Quickstep Shisui.

The redhead blinked wearily as she held out her hand. "I got nervous," she said awkwardly as bright blue eyes glared at her.

"_Nervous? _You ran us halfway across town!"

She rolled her eyes as he begrudgingly took her hand. "It was just down the street, quit exaggerating."

"And you almost hit that fruit guy again!" Naruto continued.

"What, Yoichi-jii? He loves me. He wouldn't care," Charlie replied, unabashed. She bought fruit from him almost every morning, after all.

She gripped him by the wrist and dragged the both of them into the building, hiding a grimace. Truthfully... ah, well, she didn't have much _precision _when it came to the art of the shunshin. Sure, she wasn't running into trees anymore- or at least, she hadn't in a few weeks, and she counted that as a win- but it was more difficult than she'd originally anticipated.

Speaking of more difficult than anticipated. The damned bunshin was a bunch of bullshit- she could understand wholeheartedly why Naruto was unable to do it. Letting a whisper of chakra out was kind of like poking a pinpoint hole in the Hoover Dam. Kakashi had spent many long, tedious hours on the bunshin before writing Naruto off as a lost cause. She kind of felt bad for him, though she knew he'd pass one way or the other. The kid was so worried though...

Well, be that as it may. She'd managed to do a decent bunshin, one that would get her past the graduation exam but not much further. And that was all she could ask for.

"Are you excited?" Charlie asked, unable to stop herself from tosseling her young friend's spikey head of hair.

Naruto hissed at her, jerking his head away. "Cut it ouuuuut! And yeah, sorta," he mumbled. He wouldn't meet her gaze as they neared their classroom. "But I still can't do that dam- I mean _dang _bunshin. Are you sure I'll pass?"

"Duh!" Charlie grinned, forcing even more cheer into it. She grabbed his hand abruptly as they passed the threshold, and squeezed it tightly. "You got this. I believe in you, Naru-chan."

He smiled back, the toothy one that she loved. "Ack, what do I have to worry about anyhow?" he said.

They took their seats amongst the throng of buzzing students. Akiko, predictably, had her head rested in her palm and an irked expression on her face. "You two are late," she grunted upon seeing them.

"Uh, last I checked, sensei isn't even in the room, so we _aren't,_" Naruto retorted, puckishly sticking out his tongue.

Charlie smirked at his sass. "So there," she added with a chuckle.

The trio's heads swiveled in the direction of the front of the classroom at the sound of purposeful footsteps moving in their direction. Talking puttered in the room as the devil himself walked through the door and grinned at them. "Are you ready, guys?"

His grin widened at the loud, resounding cheers. '_Ninjas, we're finally going to be ninjas,_' Charlie thought, lips twitching up as she eyed the excitable kids around her.

First came the written test, which she flew through in a short period of time. It was simple stuff, but it covered what most of the kids had learned since they started the Academy years ago. 'Name all the countries and the main villages of each'. 'List each form of the ninja arts and what they do'. Hell, the extra credit question was 'why do you want to be a ninja?', as if there was a proper way to score such a thing.

'_They really do let these kids into the ranks way too early,_' she couldn't help but think as she set down her pen and leaned back.

Beside her, Naruto was writing hurriedly but with a grin on his face. A quick glance at his paper showed that he was writing a novel to answer the extra credit question, and she cracked a smile. '_Of course._'

Some things just set a fire under him.

After the written exam, the genin-to-be were all tested on their accuracy with throwing weapons, were paired together for a taijutsu spar based on skill set, and were then brought back indoors to do the ninjutsu exam.

Naruto, who was already sweaty from his spar with Kiba, was practically shaking with anxiety as he stood in line right before her. Charlie reached up with a frown, wiping his forehead with the sweatband on her wrist. "Calm down," she muttered to him, "Sakura-chan's not gonna think you're cool if you keep that up."

She smirked as the blond glared down at her. Yes, _down_, as he'd miraculously grown even taller than she was in the year she'd been there. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't like her like that before you believe me?" he groaned, swatting her away. "And also, just so you know, I'm shaking with _excitement_."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Right, yeah, _excitement_," she echoed with a short laugh despite being slightly concerned with what he'd said. Despite never ending up with Sakura, it was a bit of a concern for her that he wasn't as _preoccupied _with her as he'd been in the original storyline. In fact, he wasn't really _preoccupied _with anything besides training.

Not necessarily a _bad _thing- Minato was actually pretty pleased with how focused Naruto had become- but... uncomfortable.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" called Mizuki from the exam room, popping his _stupid head_ out into the hallway. Charlie instinctively mean mugged him over Naruto's shoulder as the boy turned to look at her.

"Good luck, Naru-chan, not that you'll need it," Charlie said, giving him a quick hug and taking her eyes off _that traitorous little worm_.

Naruto grinned- wobbly, but a grin nonetheless. "Thanks. You, too." And then he was off, marching towards the classroom like he was marching towards his death.

Charlie leaned against the wall, suppressing a grimace. Naruto was about to be really, really depressed for at least a few hours until _that cretin _came to mess around with his emotions. Charlie had decided long ago that it was necessary to the plot for the kid to learn kage bunshin, but it didn't mean she had any respect for the _insect _for being the indirect cause of it.

A short period later, Naruto exited the exam room, hitai-ate free and not looking at her as he continued down the hallway towards the exit. Charlie bit the inside of her lip, and walked stiltedly towards the exam room, purposefully knocking Mizuki's shoulder along the way.

"Shimizu Charlie-chan, how do you think you did today?" Iruka asked casually as he glanced through the papers in front of him. Mizuki took the seat alongside him, looking a bit peeved that she'd bumped him without apologizing.

"Not bad," Charlie muttered, eyes glancing towards the door. She kind of just wanted to leave and go comfort Naruto. "Look, can we just- get done with this so I can go comfort my friend, please?"

Iruka stared at her for a moment before he shrugged. "Alright. Let's see henge, bunshin, and kawarimi. In that order."

She henged into the Hokage, created a ~decent~ clone, and substituted herself with the chair Mizuki sat on, laughing to herself as he fell on his ass. And with that, and despite Mizuki's furious mutterings, she left the room with a headband in her hand.

'_Now...' _she thought, storming towards the exit, '_to find my friend.'_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello! Welcome to Chapter 19. Sorry if you've had trouble finding this fic- I have now boosted the rating to M, as certain situations in this chapter and those following will be quite violent and rather colorful in language. This is the beginning of the main plotline of the story. I'll be publishing this chapter and the next simultaneously (mainly because it's kind of just one chapter cut in half, partly because you've waited so long).**

**Again, beware of gore and angst in these next few chapters, and beware of coarse language.**

**Chapter 19**

"Red hair," Tetsuo grunted, shoving his elbow into his partner's side.

Dai startled to alertness. "Hah?" he retorted, eyes scanning the crowd of heads convening around the Academy entrance. "Where?"

Tetsuo groaned. "Right there, stupid ass," he said, indicating with a sharp nod. The girl stood far from the others, hands shielding her eyes from the blaring sun.

The shade of her hair was unmistakable. Tetsuo smirked a little. His eye roved over her thin frame, the dark colors she wore and the blank expression on her face. She seemed to be searching for someone, but not having much luck.

"Looks like your rat did pan out after all, Tetsuo-san," Dai mumbled under his breath.

Tetsuo almost hit the man again. "Quit talkin' out loud about that shit, you know how many ears there are in this place?" he hissed. "We were damn lucky to get as far as we've gotten with these henges. Don't go screwing it up!"

It was, indeed, remarkable that they had been able to sneak into the village. Perhaps it was just luck, but Tetsuo wasn't about to test it out. "We need to grab her soon. The rat said she'd always go straight to training grounds ten, so meet me there. Got it?"

Dai sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

He disappeared. Tetsuo turned back around, staring down at the girl with an unreadable expression. "Red hair," he muttered again.

* * *

'_Naruto must've already taken off,_' Charlie thought despondently as she scanned the crowd. '_I hate having to leave him to fend for himself against Mizuki, but it's the only way he'll learn the kage bunshin._'

**"You're just angry you can't hit the guy yourself," **Minato replied, a laugh in his tone.

Her eyebrow twitched. Glancing around and confirming that she'd already given her due congratulations to everyone, she stepped away from the crowd, deciding to take the all-too-familiar road to her training area. With any luck, Kakashi might be there too. '_I think you're entirely too laid back about this situation,_' Charlie couldn't help but point out.

**"I know everything will be okay. I've seen your memories, remember? And besides, since you're now a genin, you have no excuse for slacking!" **

Hazel eyes widened. _That_ was his plan all along? '_Slacking?! When have I ever-_'

**"I mean," **he interrupted meaningfully, **"that it's going to get harder from here on out. So don't attack me for pushing you harder. And congratulations, by the way." **His tone turned warmer.

She smiled a little. '_Thanks, Minato._'

When she reached her destination, she sat down in the center of the clearing, only a bit put out that Kakashi wasn't around. Admittedly, he was pretty hard to pin down, and what he did when the trio weren't together was still a mystery. '_Then again,_' she thought, grimacing as she stretched her arms above her head, '_I don't think I want to know._'

It was a nice day, she reflected. A good day to have graduated, and a good day to train. The air was still tinged with cold, but the sun brushed it away with warm fingers. Quiet enough, too, if one ignored the sounds of the shopping district a few blocks away.

She stretched her legs out in front of her, and bent forward to touch her toes. She had gotten taller in the year she'd spent here, and it made it all the more difficult. '_Then again, I can't say I'm not in the best shape I've ever been in._'

**"You're welcome," **her friend piped up helpfully.

'_Don't you have anything better to do than read my mind?' _she teased lightly. It wasn't often that he stuck around to watch her train- he'd drilled the routine into her often enough.

Minato hummed. **"I'm... not sure, actually. I have this gut feeling."**

She frowned, glancing around. _She _for one didn't have any bad vibes. '_What do you mean? Do you sense someone?'_ It wouldn't be the first time, after all, that he had sensed something before she did.

**"Not right now, but- I'm not sure, call it a sixth sense." **His voice was heavy with doubt.

'_You do realize there are many more than just six senses, right?'_ Charlie retorted smartly. She got to her feet, bouncing on the balls of her feet to get the blood flowing.

**"Charlie, I'm serious,"** Minato grumbled.

The redhead rolled her eyes. Nothing was supposed to happen today besides the whole debacle with the Forbidden Scroll, anyway. And besides, Kakashi had already trained her and Naruto to exhaustion in situational awareness- surely she would be able to tell if something dangerous was coming her way.

Charlie began running a few warmup laps around the enclosed area, jogging at a moderate pace. '_I wonder which style I should work on today- maybe I can try out those Uchiha moves Sasuke's been teaching me?_' she wondered to herself.

She went about doing so, wobbling a bit on her feet at the unfamiliar stance. She'd insisted that Sasuke teach her some of his moves, mostly so that they'd be on an equal playing field when they fought for real, and he'd been all to willing to beat her into the dirt to teach her. Still, it had taken a few weeks, and she was getting a hold of it.

Charlie spent about an hour or so on it before she moved on to her ninjutsu training. She only really knew the Academy ones, but given how weak her clones were, there was much room for improvement.

Eventually, she grew weary of summoning ugly or diseased clones, and gave up on the chakra for the day. She began running again, this time kicking up dust in her wake as she pushed herself to run faster and faster. It was quite difficult to run to exhaustion anymore- she did it so often that the ceiling for her endurance was ever out of reach- but she liked the burn in her legs that came with trying anyway.

Besides, it had grown rather dark out- close to time to go home and get dinner, she suspected. Though the sun set earlier in the day than usual, given the time of year, she still used it as a reference for when to head home. '_For now, though, I think I'll enjoy the cool weat-'_

Abruptly, her feet stalled as something blipped on her radar. She'd never been a sensor- but- well, maybe Minato was onto something. Charlie frowned, edging hesitantly towards the nearest tree. Its trunk was nearly twice her width, and hid her easily enough as amber eyes flitted left, right, and center. '_Minato-_'

**"Something's coming, move n-" **He wasn't able to finish the word 'now' as she ducked and rolled, feeling the disturbance of air behind her neck as the short blade of a naginata slammed into the tree. Remarkably, she managed to land on her feet, and whirled in shock as she armed herself with her kunai.

The man was rather thin, but his arms were corded with muscle and his eyes bespoke years of experience. His teeth were as sharp as knives as he gave her a strangely wide grin. "Hello, meal ticket," he said gruffly, and pulled the naginata from the tree with a short grunt.

Charlie smiled nervously. "Hey, now," she muttered, knuckles white on her own weapons. "I don't see any reason to be throwing something like that around. Someone could get hurt." Her eyes narrowed in on his forehead. His hitai-ate had the symbol for Iwa, though he'd driven a deep cut through it. '_A missing nin?!_' she thought frantically, leaping backwards and into a tree as he slashed downward with his blade. '_How the hell did he get past the guards?'_

**"This isn't good, Charlie,"** Minato voiced worriedly. His tone was much more serious than she was used to. **"You need to run. You can't take hi- duck!"**

She ducked diligently, and a row of shuriken flew over her head. A chuckle sounded over her shoulder, and she suppressed a shocked squeak as she leaped to the ground. A new man stood in her place, leaning a shoulder against the tree trunk as if he'd always been there.

This man was much bulkier than the first, his dark hair pulled into a low ponytail and a scar running from his eyebrow to his chin. The eye it ran over was covered by an eyepatch. He had a sword that spanned the length of his body tied to his back, though he thankfully hadn't retrieved it yet.

And, just like the other man, this one sported the same stupid grin and the same slashed hitai-ate.

Charlie gritted her teeth. "What, does it take two of you uglies to take down one genin?" she taunted, edging to the right as both of them closed in. '_Who could've sent them? _Did_ someone send them? Do they want to kill me?_' Her mind went back to the first blow the man had given. He definitely hadn't been too concerned about her life _then_...

The thinner one bared his sharp teeth at her. "We're not here to take you down, little girl," he spat, "we're here to-"

To her surprise, the ponytail guy rolled his eye and slapped the man upside the head. "Shut the hell up, Dai. We don't have to explain ourselves to some snot nosed kid. Now..." His smile turned vicious. "Just come with us, Uzumaki, and we won't kill you. Put up a fight, and- well, we can take you dead _or_ alive."

Charlie glared. "So you've been hired, then?" she voiced. '_Why do they think I'm an Uzumaki? Who told them-'_

She dodged backwards as _Dai_ lunged at her, and landed on the still pond in the center of the training area.

**"We can worry about that _later_, focus on running away!" **

Minato said, his presence flaring in her mind like a beacon.

A beacon...

Taking a shaky breath, Charlie flared her chakra boldly, for once in a long time letting it free from the constraints she bound it with. '_Please, somebody, see me!_' she begged mentally.

The two men seemed taken aback by the sudden outflow of chakra, then the ponytail guy scowled. "It's obvious we're not gonna take her peacefully. Let's get this over with before her _friends_ come," he hissed, and threw a barrage of shuriken towards her. Charlie blocked them with one of her knives and shunshinned towards the front gate of the training grounds.

The street outside the area was empty, given the later hour, and she cursed, readying herself to shunshin again. '_If I can just get to people-'_

Then, something hard slammed into the back of her head, and she felt her eyes roll in her head as the cold ground rushed up to meet her. '_N-No, I-'_

Blackness swallowed her.

* * *

Across town, Sarutobi sat watching Naruto through his crystal ball.

Something was niggling at his brain. The situation with Naruto was- well, there's no doubt that it's a bit chaotic, but something _else_ was bothering him.

"Hokage-sama?" Ebisu voiced carefully. His hands twisted together nervously. "Is everything all right?"

The older man hummed noncommittally. Had he missed something? Surely he'd put enough shinobi on Naruto's tail, so maybe-

His back straightened as his eyes flew to the window overlooking his village. '_Something I missed, something I should've _expected_-'_

Charlie's chakra flared so strongly that he felt himself shudder. He was on his feet in a moment, staring out the window as something akin to fear shot down his spine.

'_Shit!_'

* * *

Naruto returned home that night a newly minted ninja.

He was quite proud of that fact. Not only had he proved himself to Iruka-sensei, but Iruka-sensei had proven himself to _him_. Plus, he had a brand new jutsu under his belt! '_Charlie's gonna be so proud~'_ he sang to himself as he rounded the corner onto his street.

His footsteps stalled a little as the dim streetlight illuminated someone familiar. "Oh, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said, a delighted grin spreading his cheeks. "Wanna know what I did?! I have a new jutsu-?"

The blond frowned in confusion at the hardened glint in Kakashi's eye as the man uncrossed his arms and turned to look at him for a long moment. "Naruto-kun, there's something you need to know."

And that is how one of the best nights of his life turned into one of the worst.

* * *

Charlie awoke some time later to someone's shoulder in her gut. Hazel eyes blinked blearily as the view of swaying grass made her stomach turn. Her throat was dry and her head beat like a drum. She could feel the hair at her nape hardened with blood and sticking to her skin. She could feel the blood rushing to her head from the awkward position of being carried like a sack of flour.

Most of all, she could feel the fear so potent that it clogged her throat. Whoever carried her had so many bad vibes that even _she _could sense it.

**"Charlie, you're awake,"** Minato's very voice made her head pound harder, and she almost let slip a groan.

'_Wish I wasn't,_' she managed to complain.

Minato predictably ignored it. **"Try to see where we are."**

Lifting her head felt like an impossible task, and she felt a flash of blinding pain in the back of her skull as she did so. Surrounding the party of three were tall trees and a dirt path, and not much else. Charlie mentally cursed. '_Fuck, they've already made it to the forest. Minato, what do I do?'_

She couldn't feel the weight of her kunai pouch anymore, either.

**"The safest thing you can do is pretend to be unconscious. And hope that wherever they're going is far enough away that they stop for the night,**" Minato said.

Charlie swallowed. She knew him well enough to tell that from the slightly dulled tone of his voice, he didn't have much confidence in the outcome of this.

**"No doubt Hokage-sama is already trying to find us," **her blond companion added, trying to lighten the mood.

The redhead closed her eyes and gingerly lifted her arms that hung limply past her shoulders. '_I hope there's a strong, handsome ninja out there who'll catch on to this,_' she thought, and tugged out the first red strand of hair. It fell to the forest floor in a slow spiral.

**"C-Charlie-" **Minato coughed, embarrassed. She could feel the heat of his blush.

'_What? If it worked for Kushina...'_

**"Please stop. This is a serious situation-"**

'_I'm _being _serious, Minato,_' she growled. '_What else can I do? I'm fucking useless against them._' Her teeth gritted. Useless. All of her training, all of the time she'd spent on taijutsu, ninjutsu, survival techniques, hell, even genjutsu. She was as useless as she'd ever been.

"So, when d'ya think the brat'll wake up?" came Dai's voice from right beside her.

Charlie suppressed a shudder. He must've been the one carrying her. His arm felt like steel around her middle.

"Maybe in an hour, maybe never," came the ponytail man's rough reply.

"You hit her pretty hard," Dai voiced.

Then came the sound of ponytail guy's chuckle. "And? The kid was flaring her chakra. We would've had half the village's shinobi on us in a second if I didn't do something. 'Sides, the client just said he wanted the redhead brought to him- didn't care if she was alive or not."

"Now that I think of it, it was kinda weird how empty those streets were. We got lucky," Dai replied.

Charlie grimaced. '_The streets were only empty because everyone was chasing Naruto! Damn straight you got lucky!'_

"Yeah, well, you just keep a tight hold on the kid. We're almost there anyway, then the client can deal with her." Silence resumed.

Charlie blanched; so she wasn't going to get a chance to escape after all. '_One thing they continually tell you in all those crime shows is to never let your kidnapper take you to the secondary location,_' she thought, biting her tongue. '_I don't know how strong their employer is, but I know I can't take all three at once. And given that the guy didn't care if he got me alive or dead, he's certainly not going to _protect_ my stupid self. Minato... I think we have to end things here.'_

**"You realize what this means, right?" **Her blond friend's tone was as hard as stone. Charlie gritted her teeth harshly. That was not the voice of the carefree and cheerful person she knew, it was the voice of a hardened shinobi, of a kage. In that moment, she wondered where his head was- was it here, with her? Or was it on a battlefield?

She swallowed the rock in her throat and pushed back the tears building in her eyes. There was so much she wanted to say to him in that moment. Her terror made it hard for her to breathe- was this what true fear felt like? But... regardless of that, regardless of her feelings... she'd always known that something like this could happen. It was only natural to be hunted for who she was, for what she knew. So this... her gaze hardened. This was nothing. _Nothing_.

And so she repeated that phrase in her head enough for it to take form, enough for it to momentarily quell the fear that churned her stomach. She had no room for fear here. She'd always known that it could come to this.

With a sorrowful, but steel-y heart, she finally thought, '_Maybe I'll die here, but maybe I won't. Minato... I need you to do something for me.'_

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was many things. He was calm, objective, dangerous, smart, resourceful, and damn hard to defeat.

But now, standing in the Hokage's office alongside Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai, he was _pissed_. A spitting tiger in a cage, as the Hokage had once called him.

And from the looks of the others in the room, he wasn't doing a very good job of hiding it.

"Obviously, time is of the essence here," Sarutobi said curtly, and handed the mission scroll to the silver haired man. "Kakashi-kun, you'll lead this mission, given your tracking skills. Bring her back to us as soon as possible, and leave the enemy in whatever form you see fit." His dark eyes turned a shade darker. "Do not disappoint me. There is more resting on this mission than you know."

The four jounin bowed and disappeared, stopping at their homes only long enough to stock up on weapons before meeting at the front gate. Kakashi knew all too well what rested on this mission. '_Charlie...'_ he thought, leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

The wind rustling through his hair did nothing to quell the heat of rage in his gut. '_I'll leave the enemy in pieces,_' he thought savagely.

If only to never see that look on Naruto's face again.

* * *

Fifteen minutes passed, minutes that felt like a lifetime, before Charlie finally felt comfortable enough with her plan.

The missing nin hadn't said much, though she'd been able to feel ponytail guy's stern eye on her every once in a while. He seemed to be the smarter of the two, she reflected, though perhaps Dai was stronger, given that he was the one carrying her. He certainly could throw a blade around when he wanted to. In order to fight him, she'd have to get in close.

But ponytail guy... he'd never even drawn that big ass sword of his. She had no idea how he'd wield it. She just had to hope that she could take him out before he had a chance to draw it.

**"I don't like this plan," **Minato muttered. She had an image of him pacing back and forth in her mind, arms crossed and face pinched. It almost made her laugh, if not for the circumstances.

'_I don't either. What other choice do we have? I don't want to meet this client of theirs on _their _terms, I want to meet him on _mine.' She needed to know who'd asked for her head. She needed to know why.

The redhead took a deep breath, and reached down, nimble fingers plucking open her captor's kunai pouch and silently withdrawing one.

'_Remember the plan, right?'_ she asked, just to make sure and also to stall.

**"I remember the plan. Let's hope it doesn't come to it,"** Minato replied shortly. He was still in battle mode, and so she forgave him for his curtness.

Baring her teeth, Charlie slammed the kunai into the man's back, hoping that all of those anatomy classes taught her well.

Dai screamed out in pain, knees buckling and arm loosening momentarily, just enough for the small redhead to weasel her way out of his clutches and onto her feet a few yards away. "TETSUO, she _stabbed_ me!" the thin man gasped, hand going to his lower back.

Charlie's eyes narrowed, but then her face smoothed over. From the amount of blood that was now decorating the forest floor, she'd managed to hit a kidney.

Ponytail man, _Tetsuo_, roared in anger as he threw a barrage of kunai and shuriken in her direction. Her head pulsed painfully as she flipped out of the way, though she knew all too well that Dai, now curled on the ground, was in much more pain. "Your friend will bleed out if you don't get him to a doctor," the redhead said, giving the enraged man a wide berth as veins pulsed in his forehead. She had a bad feeling about this.

"As if I care about a worthless human like that!" Tetsuo shouted, turning his glare on his prostrate friend. His footsteps shook the ground as he stomped over to the weakened man. "Useless people like you... should just die," he continued frigidly.

There was something peculiar about his face then, as though he weren't himself, as though he'd been taken over by some uncaring, malevolent demon. He stared down at his partner with the same disregard as one would stare at a beetle underfoot, or a fly on the wall. Killing intent slammed into her like a freight train, and she realized the dangerous waves were coming from _him_. She could _feel_ it, could feel the darkness wrapping itself around his body.

'_W-Wait- hey, you're not gonna-' _"WAIT, YOU-" Charlie cut herself off with a strangled gasp as the one-eyed man pulled the sword from his back and swung downwards. Dai didn't even have time to scream before his head separated from his shoulders.

Charlie felt her knees weaken under her as she watched the head roll a few feet away, the expression a mask of terror and pain. Silence filled the darkened night, as though even the crickets were too afraid to make a noise. "H-How cou-cou-could you-" she whimpered, staring wide-eyed at the scene of gore. Blood soaked through the earth, and there was so _much _of it, how was there so _much _of it?! "Why did you..." her voice was small and pained.

The ponytailed man had no expression on his face as he removed his blade from the ground and slung it over his shoulders. His dark eye drilled into her as he said, "Never forget that _you started this_."

And then, he was charging at her. She squeaked, rolling out of the way as his gigantic sword came crashing down. "You little bitch, I'll _kill you for that,_" Tetsuo growled, his features like some rabid animal.

It was all she could do not to scream as he swung for her again, blade glancing off her cheek and immediately sending rivulets of blood down her face. She winced at the pain, one hand going to the wound and the other gripping the kunai tightly. '_He- he seems to be a heavy hitter, so that means I should- get in close, yeah, get in close,'_ she thought, her mind whirring in its panic.

The fear of death, she learned, is a potent one.

The blade came down again, and she had enough strength to glance it off her kunai- but just barely. She sent a roundhouse kick towards his face, and her toes barely connected with his chin before he had an iron grip around her ankle. She gaped and, before she could make a sound, he threw her hard into a tree across the path. Her back struck it with enough force that the timber creaked behind her, and for a moment, all she knew was the pain of impact. When her mind caught up again, she was huddled at the base of the felled tree.

Charlie hurried to her feet again, clenching her jaw as the enraged bull of a man advanced. "Y'know what I _hate_ about little village brats who know nothing about this life?" the man ground out, spitting through his teeth. "You act so tough until reality sinks in. Then you're just as _useless_ as ever." A nasty smile curved his lips. "Thankfully, alive or dead, so I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?"

He made a handsign with his free hand, muttered something under his breath, and abruptly, the ground beneath her crumbled. Charlie scrambled for a foothold somewhere, and barely managed to hold on as the earth below her _waved_. The man didn't seem too concerned with the fact that he, too, was caught up in the quake, and hopped from rock to rock in her direction.

A piece of earth the side of her torso slammed into her, and Charlie yelped as it sent her tumbling backwards on her ass. Another rock slammed into her side, and then she was falling to another rock, another ledge.

She groaned as her body ached, and got to her elbows, head buzzing. The first rock had hit her partially in the head, and blood was seeping into her eyes. Weaker than she would've liked, she tried in vain to wipe it away, cringing as her eyes burned.

'_Shit!' _she cursed, rolling out of the way a second before his sword came down on her. How could she have forgotten her enemy so quickly?!

He loomed over her like the king of Hell, a smirk on his scarred face and his sword glinting dangerously in the moonlight as he held it above his head. "Stupid little Uzumaki girl. Just know, you made me do this."

The blade came down once more, and her vision faded to black.

* * *

Kakashi's hand gripped the strands of ruby red hair he'd collected from the ground as though they were a lifeline.

He should've known someone as clever as Charlie would've thought of this. In any other situation, he would've been proud of her. But as it was, all he could do was hope as the four of them sped through the trees.

It wasn't necessary now. He didn't need her hair to find her. He could _smell her_. More specifically, he could smell her blood. The scent of it burned his nose like none other.

"Stop," he called, just as the scent began to become overwhelming. He followed it unwillingly down the thin path through the trees until-

_'Oh,_ shit,' he cursed, leaping down from his spot and listening to the silent _whoosh _as the others did the same.

It was a battleground.

The earth looked like it had been uphended and then set back down again, numerous holes pockmarked the landscape and almost all of the trees surrounding it had been toppled. In the center of the mess lied two prone forms, one much smaller than the other.

Kakashi held his breath as he found himself running, and released it in one loud gasp as he reached the two bodies. The first was a tall, bulky man a bit older than himself, obviously dead with a gaping hole through his chest. The second-

Charlie smiled weakly at him from the ground. Blood covered her face and body, seeped through her red, red hair and pooled beneath her. "Oh, God, Charlie," Kakashi mumbled, wide-eyed as he gazed down at the space where her arm should've been. Just blood, blood everywhere. Where was- where was her-

"It's okay, Kakashi," she said, in a tone that didn't quite fit her.

His gray gaze met ocean blue before hers closed and she grew limp.

* * *

**hotxhotguy: Heh, heh, hehhhh. Unfortunately for u that is a major part of the plot so I decline to answer. Thank you for your support and claps! 3**

**Beleg: Short answer is kind of~ I believe certain things need to happen for the characters to develop as people, but I also believe that things would be better a certain way. I hope that makes sense! Thanks for your review!**

**Guest: I've kind of explained it in this review section before, just haven't had a chance for it to come up in the story much. I view it as half of Minato in the Shinigami with Kurama (because if the Shinigami sucked _him_ in, he had to have taken in the half of Kurama too, otherwise Minato wouldn't have been able to use it in the 4th war), and half of Minato sans Kurama in Charlie. It makes more sense for plot reasons, mostly because it complicates the storyline that's already going to be hella long. I operate right now from that assumption, but things may change to make the story more interesting. I can't really say. Thanks for your review!**

**Sylvia2343: Yess! It's kind of OC-centric right now, but yay Naruto and the newly formed Team Seven! Thanks for your review :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Charlie woke up in a hospital bed.

For a moment, she was infinitely relieved. She had hoped against hope that Minato would be able to come to the forefront without sticking there permanently, and it seemed that it had worked. She definitely had her own body.

But that only lasted a moment, before the horror set in. Because she was no longer whole.

She had been able to feel it, vaguely, that moment when the steel met flesh. But her fear had made her give up her place before she could feel the pain of it.

Worn hazel eyes glanced downward, down towards the stump where her left arm should be. She felt the pain of it now, even if she was probably hopped up on painkillers. She felt it in her heart. She knew what it meant.

Minato knew what it meant. That's why he hadn't said anything yet. She could feel him hovering in the background, too afraid to say anything, too nervous to see what she'd say.

"It's over," Charlie said to herself. Over, over, over. Over, before it even began. Over, before she could help, before she could _protect_\- it was all over. How could she do anything with one arm? She couldn't do ninjutsu like that. She couldn't _fight_ like that. She couldn't even do _chores_ like that.

Useless. Useless. Useless. _Useless. Useless! Damn it ALL!_

The medic might've sensed her heartrate increasing, because she came flooding in with a senior medic in tow. The woman checked her vital signs while carefully avoiding her eyes, while the man watched with a strange expression on his face.

Charlie realized belatedly that this was the same medic who'd given her the third degree when she'd first gotten here. She wondered if he recognized her.

Before she could ask him, he disappeared from the room, and the woman followed soon after.

Charlie leaned back, bandaged head cushioned by the semi-decent pillow. '_What the hell do I do now?_' she wondered.

* * *

Kakashi stood stone-faced in the Hokage's office. He, along with the rest of his elite jounin peers, was being prepped on receiving his new genin students.

He didn't really feel like being here, if he was honest. His mind was still with one of his _own_ genin, one that he'd chosen of (mostly) his own volition. Now, he was to take on more.

He didn't feel like taking on more. Would he let _them_ down, too?

Naruto... God, he'd already felt so much heartbreak. And he didn't feel like meeting the other two- Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura- either. The Uchiha would obviously have a chip on his shoulder, and given the scene they were now watching from the Hokage's crystal ball, the Haruno girl didn't seem to have her priorities straight either.

He suppressed a sigh.

"Are there any questions?" Sarutobi asked abruptly, cutting the uncertain quiet in the room.

Kakashi knew it was him. He knew he wasn't giving off the most _accepting_ vibes. Kurenai and Asuma kept shooting him concerned looks, too, which was even more irritating.

"Then you're all dismissed, good luck and congratulations," their Hokage said eventually.

Kakashi made to exit the room, before the older man said, "Except you, Kakashi-kun."

The silver-haired man turned on his heel, giving Sarutobi an expectant stare. His Hokage made a small groan as he stood from his seat, hand rubbing his lower back as he grimaced. Still, he straightened quickly enough and was by the younger man's side in seconds. "I was wondering if you'd join me in visiting Charlie-chan. The medic has told me she's awake now."

Kakashi's steel gray eye bore into the older man's. With his irritation rising like a tide, he snapped, "What do you want me to say to her? 'Sorry, you can't be a ninja anymore'?" His jaw flexed as he noticed the stern expression come over the other man's face. He coughed, looking away. "I apologize, Hokage-sama," he muttered.

Sarutobi gave a half-hearted smile. "I understand this is hard on you. But _I _will be the one to talk to Charlie-chan about her options. I was merely hoping that her sensei would be there to lend her support. If I know Charlie, I know she wouldn't want Naruto-kun seeing her like this just yet, after all." His steps were silent as he walked to the door and waited patiently.

Kakashi nodded, properly chided, and muttered an 'of course' under his breath as he followed Sarutobi out of his office and down the winding staircase.

Hesitation grew in him as the two shinobi passed the Academy and followed the wide road that would lead to the hospital. It was a nice day, all things considered; children were shouting happily, couples were chatting idly about what to pick up for dinner, two young genin passed by holding hands... and yet, to him, it may as well have been the dreariest day of the year.

Because he knew what being a ninja meant to the girl. Because he knew that it would be all but impossible for her to continue. Because it was a damned shame that a person with that much potential was taken out before she could begin to shine.

And because he had to be there when the Hokage told her her dreams were out of her reach.

The silver-haired jounin balled his fists in his pockets. He didn't want to be there when- but he had to. He owed it to her. As one of the people who was responsible for her, as the person who'd let her down, there was no other option.

They arrived at the hospital with nothing said between them. Kakashi wasn't sure what there was _to_ say.

The medic at the front desk of the hospital straightened automatically as Sarutobi stepped through the doors and pulled his hat from his head. He gave the petite brunette a grandfatherly smile and said, "Shimizu Charlie's room number, please."

The woman answered him, and Kakashi gave her a small nod as the two passed by. This felt more like a death march every second.

Charlie's room was on the second floor, halfway down the hall. The door was closed, and only silence could be heard from the other side. Sarutobi seemed to take a larger than average breath as he slid it open and entered, calling her. "Charlie-chan?"

The girl looked about as he expected. Her red hair sprouted from around the thick bandages covering her head, and her eyes seemed dull as she turned to glance at them. Kakashi was struck suddenly by just how _small_ she looked then- like a stiff wind could knock her over. Or like it already had.

"Hi," she said with a scratchy voice. Her gaze flitted to the pitcher of water on the bedside table, and Kakashi leaned against the wall as the Hokage himself poured her a glass. She took it with a small nod, drank it, coughed once, and said, "Here to tell me the good news?"

Her despondent expression said that she wasn't expecting good news at all.

Kakashi peeled himself from the wall and made himself a spot on her bedside, not looking at her as he said, "Well," he started eventually, "you're... all right." He kind of wanted to hit himself then for the off-color joke, but it was the only thing he could think of that would get that _look_ off her face. If he had to be the bad guy, if he had to be the weird one, he was fine with that.

It was beyond difficult to come up with the right things to say to her.

The Hokage shot him a glare as the young girl sighed and raised her hand- her _only_ hand- to her brow. "God, Kakashi-sensei, do you have to be so weird all the time?"

Sarutobi seemed to relax at the fact that she hadn't taken offense. In fact, she gave him a weary smile. "It's okay, y'know. It's not like I didn't expect this could happen. I just-" she broke off, looking away. '_-didn't expect it to happen so soon.'_

"How are you feeling?" the Hokage interjected gently. "Hurt anywhere?"

The girl pressed her lips together. "Just my pride. They've got me flying pretty high here on some painkillers. I don't even feel it."

"I'm glad." A genuine smile on the old man's face shone for just a moment before he got a serious look in his eye. "Charlie-chan. I know this is difficult for you, but I also know you're not one to accept pity, or sympathy. You are a ninja of this village, young as you may be."

The redhead nodded once, her blank eyes regaining some clarity. "I know you're going to ask me how it happened. I don't expect tearful hugs and crying and wallowing in my pain. So just-" she held her fist to her chest, "-just tell me what you need to know."

The Hokage nodded once. Kakashi couldn't say anything to that hard glint in her eye, the serious one. She'd never been a _serious _child- mature, maybe, and mellow, perhaps, but never truly _serious_. Not this way. This way, she looked like a soldier. "Tell me how this happened, Charlie-chan," the older man said.

"I was training on my own after I got my headband. Naruto had gone off on his own, because he didn't graduate and I'm assuming he just wanted to be left alone. I..." she frowned to herself, "I sensed something watching me, for a long time, but they didn't come until night fell." The hazel in her eyes had turned to solid, glinting amber. "The first one came, and almost took my head off. He was a thinner guy, but he threw around a gigantic naginata like it was nothing. I mean, the blade had to have been the length of my leg.

"Then the second guy came. He also had a gigantic sword, it was about as long as he was tall. Both of them were missing nin from Iwa. I tried to shunshin away, but once I got to the street it was empty, and they knocked me out with something. When I woke up, I was on the thinner guy's shoulder and we were in the woods. I took a kunai from his pouch and stabbed him with it. Once he let me go, I got pretty far away. H-He was-" she swallowed, eyes wide. "He was bleeding heavily, I think I got him in the kidney. I told the other guy, Tetsuo, that he should take him to the hospital, in the hopes that he'd just leave me be, but- he called him weak and de-decapitated him."

She looked down at her lap. "He didn't even have the time to scream," she mumbled under her breath. "After that, I think Tetsuo blamed me for him killing his friend. He started throwing that sword around like it was nothing- he handled it like a brute, now that I think of it. He pulled an earth jutsu out of his ass and I got knocked down to the ground. Before I could get back on my feet, he'd lobbed off my arm. After that, I... I blacked out. I don't remember anything that happened after that until Kakashi-sensei and the others found me."

Kakashi frowned, remembering the hole she'd left in the other guy's chest. How the entire battlefield looked utterly destroyed. How had that happened? And why- why did he remember seeing _blue_ in her eyes, rather than brown? Was it a figment of his imagination? Or...

He stared at her assessingly. Or was this just another mystery she hadn't revealed to him yet?

Charlie continued, avoiding his gaze studiously. "The other guy was called Dai. I didn't get any last names, obviously, so I don't know how much help that would be. But what I know for sure is that they were hired."

Kakashi's back straightened at the news. _Hired?_ What could someone possibly want with a little girl?

The Hokage had a grave expression on his face, and it pissed Kakashi off. Was he missing something? Why were the two of them sharing a glance, like they knew something he didn't?

"They called me an Uzumaki, if that helps," she finally finished, quirking her lips to the side.

Kakashi grimaced. Surviving Uzumakis were much more expensive than regular people in the slave trade- especially with hair as red as hers. '_But she's not an Uzumaki,_' he thought, '_she's not even from this world. Nevermind that she couldn't have even been alive when that village was decimated. Who could've put a hit out on her?_'

"I'm sure you understand the gravity of the situation, then, right, Charlie-chan?" the Hokage said gravely.

The girl inclined her head. "We always suspected something could happen, Hokage-sama. But now- given the circumstances, there's not much I can do about it." A rueful expression grew on her face as her hand- her _only_ hand- went to the stump at her shoulder. "There's not much I can do about anything, now," she added in a quiet voice.

Sarutobi mirrored her expression, the pain in his eyes ever-so-clear. "Unfortunately, that was the next topic of discussion. Given the severity of your injuries, I cannot allow you to move beyond the rank of genin for the foreseeable future. Leaving the village would be much too dangerous for you, especially considering there seems to be a bounty on your head."

The redhead winced. "Yeah, figured that," she muttered. "Genin Corps for me, right?" Her laugh was hollow.

The Hokage laced his fingers in his lap. "There's nothing else we can do," he replied solemnly. After a tense moment, he stood straight, holding his hat over his chest as he said, "I'll stop by tomorrow to iron out the details, Charlie-chan. Until then, please rest as much as you can."

He gave Kakashi a short nod and Charlie a lingering look before he silently left the room, just like that.

Kakashi didn't quite know what to say as the girl raised her hand to cover her eyes, slumped over as though she had surpassed rock bottom. He definitely didn't know what to say when she started sobbing, either.

All he could do was stand there as his student's world fell apart.

* * *

Night fell.

Charlie lied alone, on her back in the hospital bed with the moonlight bright through her window. Naruto would've been with her, but she'd long told Kakashi to keep him away for a few days.

Not when he'd just started out. Not when he had his survival test to prepare for. Not when he had new alliances to forge.

Or at least, those were the excuses she told herself. Truthfully, she didn't want him to see her at her lowest. She wasn't ready for that.

'_It's really quiet tonight,'_ she thought to herself, staring past the glass at the speckled indigo sky. Not a single sound pierced the silence. '_Minato?'_

**"Yes?"**

'_What should I do now?_' Her shoulder ached. It was about time to call the medic again.

**"What do you mean?" **he asked.

'_I... I can't fight anymore. Not the way I am. I can't even do jutsu without both hands.'_

**"Plenty of ninjas can do jutsu one-handed. Take the eyepatch man as an example, he only needed one to complete the earth jutsu."**

'_And in his other hand, he held a sword,_' she reminded him sadly. '_Maybe I should just throw in the towel. Watch from the sidelines as everything I didn't want to happen, happens. That seems like what a rational person would do. To give up after escaping with one's miserable life.'_

**"You've never been the type to give up, Charlie." **His voice was appropriately downcast.

She made a face. '_So sorry to disappoint you,_' she sneered, '_but I _am _human, after all. What the hell am I supposed to do with this useless body of mine? I'm-' _she laughed humorlessly. '_I'm not even half the person I once was. And... no matter how much I think about it, no matter how much I work my supposedly brilliant mind, there's no way I can move past this. Not in time for everything to take place._'

Charlie raised her hand above her head, the only one she had left. Useless now, she figured, just like the rest of her. At least she was right handed. '_Maybe I was meant to suffer. Maybe coming here was my punishment for being such a stuck-up brat in my last life.'_

**"I don't regret it," **Minato said, so suddenly that she jumped. **"I could've lingered in that space for all of eternity, and I still would've been comfortable with my decision. But... I could never regret coming here with you. I could never regret knowing you and that brilliant mind of yours. If this situation is your punishment, then it is my own salvation." **

The redhead smiled through tears. '_Well, you've got a point there._' She could hardly imagine a life without him in it. Wasn't that strange? To be used to a brain as crowded as hers? '_I'm sorry I made you take over when I did,_' she added abruptly. '_I was telling the truth when I said I'd blacked out.'_

**"I'm the veteran, not you," **Minato chuckled blandly. **"I could never expect you to fight after that."**

'_How'd you finish him_ _off?_'

**"Why, my signature move of course. It seemed only fitting."** He sounded rather proud of that, and just a tad lethal.

Charlie winced. '_I really hope nobody asks questions about that. I'm not supposed to know that move, stupid,'_ she chided him. Still, it brought a little smile to her face as she wiped at her cheeks.

**"Maa, maa. I'm sure they've already taken care of the body, anyway." **

Charlie closed her eyes, leaning back into the pillow and listening to the quiet. Her head lolled to the side a little, exhaustion heavy in her bones despite the fact that she'd been sleeping on and off for the whole day. Losing a limb tended to do that to a person, apparently. Maybe she would take a nap rather than grabbing the nurse to give her more drugs...

Then, without Minato even having to tell her, she knew she wasn't alone.

Hazel eyes snapped open, and she didn't move as she assessed the room. The window and door were closed, yet now, a man stood at the foot of her bed. He made no sound, simply staring at her with a deadpanned expression.

His one visible eye stared over her coldly, and she fought not to flinch as a spear of ice shot down her spine.

"Visiting hours are long over," she told him, proud of the evenness of her tone.

The man paid her no heed, instead grabbing the chart at the foot of her bed. "'Severe lacerations to the head and neck, minor bruises and cuts on the back, shoulder, and face, and... complete amputation of the left arm, just under the shoulder,'" he read unenthusiastically.

Charlie's gaze turned frigid. '_You... could it have been you? Could _you_ have let those missing nin into the village?_' "That's me," she said aloud. "The amputee." '_Is he here to kill me? What does he want?_'

"I'll admit, this is a setback," Danzou Shimura stated calmly, placing the clipboard back in the cubby delicately.

She couldn't help the frown that marred her features. '_A_ setback?'

"I had hoped to recruit you with all of your parts. Unfortunately, you seem to be missing one," he continued conversationally. She stiffened as he rounded the corner of the bed, coming to stand over her bedside and staring blatantly at her injury.

"_Recruit _me?" she blurted out, staring at him as if he'd grown a second head.

The man waved a dismissive hand. "Genius such as yours is rare to come by, always has been. Fortunately for you, I've always been the observant type." He gave her a smile that she could've found reassuring, if she didn't know what kind of person he was. "I know you're new to this village, so allow me to introduce myself to you properly. I am Shimura Danzou, an elder of this village and a member of the Council."

Charlie bobbed her head. "Shimizu Charlie. Nice to meet you...?"

"I suppose it must be strange to meet me under such circumstances. I couldn't wait until morning, however, as this is very time-sensitive." He managed a smile. "I will be blunt. Given your injuries, there's very little the Hokage will be willing to do for you in regards to your ninja career. You're aware of this, yes?" She nodded. "But I believe in the success of a hardworking person, regardless of what holds them back. A person willing to fight and die for Konohagakure deserves the right to fight and die for Konohagakure.

So I will lay these options before you. Firstly, you may continue as you are, moving to the Genin Corps or perhaps quitting altogether- either way, your talent will be wasted. Or, I will petition the Council for your admittance into ANBU, with the understanding that _I_ will take responsibility for your wellbeing and training, until the time comes where you are... _capable_ enough to be sent on missions."

She stared uncomprehendingly at him before finally saying, "Why are you willing to do that?"

The man shrugged. "Wasted potential bothers me greatly. And, if I may be frank, I believe all of us have a duty to pull our weight." Then he leaned forward on his cane, so close she could see the glint in his eye. "Your place is not pulling weeds with the other children. You are _wasted_ in the Genin Corps. People with brains like yours belong in the field."

"And what of my arm?" she challenged. "Brains mean nothing when I can't even perform ninjutsu."

"It is no concern of mine. I have whipped worse people into shape, with half the amount of determination as yours." He sent her another fake smile and began to walk towards the door. "I'm assuming from that fiery stare you're giving me that you accept my terms. I will inform the Council in the morning."

He turned, giving her one stern eye. "The Hokage will say no. The others will say yes. Prepare yourself accordingly."

And then, just like that, he was gone.

'_What... just happened?_'

**"I don't know... but I have a bad feeling about this."**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hi! Long time no talk. It's basically winter break now, and most of this chapter has been sitting in my documents for almost two months. I couldn't figure out how to end it. Fair warning that it doesn't get much brighter in this chapter, nor in the next... um, several. Charlie's life is so dramatic. Enjoy~**

**Chapter 21**

Sarutobi Hiruzen was... pissed.

There was no other way to describe it. Pissed. Ticked off. Irritated didn't even come close to the sheer amount of anger he felt right now.

When had he talked to Charlie? Had he ambushed her during the night? What had he said to get her to say yes?

'_No, he probably didn't have to do much to convince her. If I know that girl at all..._' She probably jumped at the chance. So eager to march to her own death.

It took everything in him to not yell in her face about how _naive _she'd been. After all she'd told him of Danzou's eventual betrayal, all of the words of distrust and anger she threw that man's way... and now she was to be _trained _by him?

Oh, there was a shark in the water alright.

As it was, he stood at the foot of the sullen girl's bed, staring at her small form as she refused to meet his eyes. "Well?" he spoke curtly.

As relieving as it was that she'd regained some of her fire, having it directed at him in the form of a glare was unsettling. Her irises were chips of amber that glowed in the midday light. "I'm doing what I have to. Surely you understand that," she muttered.

"You'll get yourself killed," he said sternly. "Then what use will you be?" He figured to use her own tone against her.

Useless. How could she think she was useless? Just by _existing_ she gave them an edge.

"Please, just trust me," she replied. She ran her hand through her short hair in frustration. "I could've _died_ in that fight. Whoever is after me isn't going to stop just because I do, you know!"

"You're being selfish," he retorted. "What will Naruto-kun say when-"

"What will _Sasuke_ say when I can't save his brother because I'm too _weak_? What will _Rock Lee _say when I can't save his legs from Gaara's Sand Coffin? What will _you_ say, when I can't save you?" she hissed. Though she was spitting the words like venom, her eyes were wide and beseeching. "I need this. _We_ need this. And besides." She smirked unfeelingly. "I'm looking forward to working closely with the enemy I intend to destroy. Maybe he'll share his secrets with me."

The Hokage clenched his jaw as he pulled out the scroll he'd tucked into his pocket. "_This_ is due to me no later than midnight tonight. If you really want the position, you'll have to sign it." He set it in her open palm and gave her a warning glance. "Know that I am not doing this by my own volition, but because you've sworn that it's your best option. Whatever happens next is your own fault. You're old enough to make your own decisions."

Charlie nodded firmly. "I won't disappoint you, Hokage-sama," she said, determination gleaming once more on her face.

'_God, I hope so. For all of our sakes,_' Sarutobi thought, departing the room without a backward glance.

* * *

Hungry hazel eyes pored over the text written in the scroll as soon as the door shut behind her fearsome leader.

Charlie grinned. It was a waiver- basically, by signing it, one recognized that this assignment was a dangerous one that led one's life to be brutish and short. '_Just as Hobbes intended it,' _the redhead mused.

**"Charlie, what are you going to do once you're in ANBU anyway?" **Minato asked. **"What are you hoping the position will grant you?"**

'_Ideally,' _she thought, '_Danzou will train me to fight with one arm. Even more ideally, he'll have some of the Shodaime's cells stored away somewhere- though to be frank, the idea of accepting anything that comes from either his_ or_ Orochimaru's dirty deeds makes me sick. Beyond that...'_ She rubbed her chin. '_Beyond that, I hope that the position will grant me more movement, and more access to classified material. Plus, if I play my cards right, I'll be able to keep an eye on Danzou.'_

**"I wonder what his motivation was for seeking you out," **Minato hummed thoughtfully. She imagined him leaning back on his arms, a thoughtful arch to his brow. **"What's he getting out of this?"**

'_That whole thing about 'potential wasted' is probably a load of BS,_' Charlie replied bluntly. '_I _do _think he's doing this to protect Konoha, though _with _me or _from_ me has yet to be decided. I dunno, I'm not as twisted as he is. Can't really get into his head. One thing's for sure, though._' Her face grew solemn. '_He certainly suspects me of something. I doubt he believes the story the Hokage came up with, at least not fully. Now it's up to me to prove I am who I say I am.'_ Even though she wasn't.

She could sense that Minato was about to say something, but he was interrupted by the door to her quarters flying open. Naruto panted in the doorframe, his new hitai-ate sliding down his sweaty forehead and an irate expression on his face. "Charlie!" he gasped, his face slipping into one of shock. He straightened a bit, crossing the threshold quickly.

Charlie watched the disbelief glimmer in those sky blue eyes. "What... happened?" he whispered.

Quickly, she hid the scroll under her pillow. She could hear the footsteps of others approaching. '_How the hell did he find me? Didn't Kaka-sensei say he'd distract them?'_ she cursed mentally.

The redhead managed a weak smile. "Kind of a lot, Naru-chan," she said. The blond edged closer, almost as though he was afraid to get too close. "I don't really want to get into it," she added, because she really didn't. The wound was too fresh, quite literally.

"Y-Your arm," he said quietly. He couldn't tear his eyes away, it seemed. "D-Does it hurt?"

She clenched her fist in her lap. Just as she suspected, the rest of his squad appeared at the door, Kakashi with an exasperated expression on the visible part of his face. Sasuke was glaring, but it quickly melted into a look of shock as he took in exactly _what_ had happened to _whom_. Sakura mirrored him.

"Only when I think about it," she muttered in answer to Naruto's question. Then, "Well, come in then, don't just stand there like sticks in the mud."

The three shuffled in, and Kakashi closed the door behind them. The silver-haired man crossed his arms, leaning against the wall and glaring at the trio. "Didn't I tell you not to go snooping around, Naruto?"

"I needed to know," Naruto muttered. "But I never thought... I never knew it was..."

"-This bad?" Charlie finished, quirking her lips. "Yeah, it's pretty bad. The Hokage wants me to either quit or stay in the Genin Corps forever," she said- something that wasn't a lie but a clear misdirection.

"Who the hell did this to you?!" Sasuke suddenly burst out, surprising everyone in the room so much that all but Kakashi jumped. "How the- how the hell are we- why...?"

Charlie's smile wavered. "It's not that bad, Sasuke. Please-"

"Bullcrap it's not that bad!" the raven haired boy ground out. She watched wide eyed as he advanced to the side of her bed and grit his teeth. This had to be the most expression she'd ever seen out of him. "You lost your _arm_, Charlie! You can't- you can't be a _ninja _anymore!"

"Enough, Sasuke," Naruto interjected, baring his teeth. "Don't you think she _realizes_ that? Why don't you just go outside if you can't keep your stupid trap shut!"

The Uchiha growled something under his breath and stalked away, hands jammed in his pockets and shoulders hunched. The door slammed in his wake, and silence reigned.

Charlie coughed awkwardly. "So... this is your team, ne, Naru-chan? I'm glad." She gave a small smile. "You've got three really smart people by your side. And combined with you guys' fighting skills, you will make waves, I'm sure of it."

Sakura shifted her weight before she eventually said, "Charlie-chan... I was- you were supposed to- but then all this happened, and- I'm really sorry!" She bowed at the waist, trembling and with tears in her eyes.

Charlie grimaced internally. '_So that bastard was going to ignore my team groups anyway. Now, Sakura thinks she's stolen my place!'_ "Sakura-chan, please stop. None of this was your fault. I think you make the team look great- if I didn't, I wouldn't have said so. So- just please don't bow to me."

The girl glanced up disbelievingly, but then slowly wiped her face, straightening her back. "T-Thank you," she mumbled. "Um, I'm just- I'm just gonna go after Sasuke-kun. He might still be upset."

Unlike when Sasuke left, Sakura's departure was silent. And then there were three.

Naruto lunged onto the bed with no warning, grabbing hold of her around the waist and digging his face into her stomach. "Charlie," he mumbled, voice warbling badly.

Charlie ran her hand through his spikey porcupine hair fondly. "I'll be _fine,_" she emphasized. "Besides, if you think something like this is enough to keep _me_ down, then you're dead wrong."

Unwittingly, she glanced up, locking gazes with her teacher. He had a funny look in his eye as he said, "Charlie- can I speak to you alone?"

The redhead blinked innocently, though internally she cringed. '_Shit! He can't suspect something already, can he?!'_ Slowly, she raised her hand from Naruto's head, giving the blue-eyed boy her best smile. "Go on into the hallway, Naru-chan. This'll only be a second, I'm sure."

With a grunt of discontent, Naruto exited. And then there were two.

Kakashi uncrossed his arms, crossed the room in two big steps, and reached boldly under her pillow. She made a squeak of protest as he withdrew the scroll with a hard look in his eye. "I knew you were too chipper. This is the release waiver, isn't it? You're joining black ops," he said flatly.

Charlie hissed, "Are you stupid? Put that down, someone could see?"

The jounin rolled his eyes before setting it on the nightstand. "What the _hell_ are you thinking?" he asked harshly. "You're barely a genin, what makes you think-"

"_You_ joined ANBU when you were young, too," she retorted. "Besides, I- I have more use there. I can still fight."

Kakashi sighed, giving her an assessing once-over. "I don't think anything will get you to stop fighting, Charlie," he stated plainly. Charlie flushed a little and looked away. "Anyway... why put yourself through this? Why not join the Genin Corps and see where that leads you?"

Charlie rolled her eyes. "A dead end. Or a slow beginning. Kakashi-sensei, the world isn't going to wait for me. This way makes sense. It's the only way I can be ready for the bad stuff when it happens. Believe me, I've gone through everything in my head a trillion times, I know what I'm risking. But I know what I'll lose if I can't make it work. So..." she trailed off. She didn't quite know what to say now.

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. "For someone so brainy, this is a really stupid move, Charlie. There's no justification for forfeiting your own life-"

"Bah!" Charlie interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "You're assuming I would be more help alive but useless?"

"Not useless, Charlie," he retorted stonily. "You could never be useless."

The redhead gazed at him appraisingly, before sending him a flicker of a smile. "You're assuming that if I die, the secrets to the future die with me. I think Hokage-sama thinks that too." Her stare turned harsh as she sat up, wincing all the way. "I would never do something so reckless. How could you ever think that?" she suddenly spat.

Anger turned her face hot as she glared daggers into the silent man in front of her. "Do I _seem_ that stupid to you? No amount of physical power in this world would be worth what I've got here!" She pointed to her bandaged head. "I have _always_ known that I could die. I mean, it's kind of a stark reality I'm facing now, but- I'll assure you now that even _if _I die, we'll still have the advantage. Now, anything _else_?"

Kakashi fisted his hands. "Secrets don't make friends," he said and, to her surprise, sat down on the bed alongside her. "Why have you left us in the dark? What are you planning, Charlie?"

The red-haired girl glanced away, an uncomfortable feeling curling in her gut. "There's a reason I haven't told you everything. You know everything you have to know, Kakashi-sensei," she mumbled. "I haven't been completely truthful with you, but I damn sure have never lied to you about something like this. I just- I can't stand the idea of you or anyone else looking at me differently for what I am."

"And I can't stand the idea of one of my students hiding something from me to spare my feelings," Kakashi retorted. At her stricken face, he ran an irritated hand through his hair. "Look, they're your secrets. I can't force you to tell me or anyone else what you're going through. But remember- one of these days, it's going to bite you in the ass. And you'll have wished you'd just come clean sooner."

A beat of quiet followed. "We should probably send Naruto in, I'm sure he's probably steaming by now," Charlie finally muttered.

Her teacher sighed, standing and going to the door without looking at her. "Naruto, she's all yours," he called as he exited into the hall.

As her hyperactive blond friend zapped into the room, she listened to Kakashi's footsteps fade as he walked further away.

* * *

A month passed.

Charlie's arm- or lack thereof- had healed tremendously from that day. It hardly hurt now, though the fresh, pink skin around the stump was still sensitive to touch. But she had started to rebuild herself. Her training sessions had started once more, and Minato had begun to grill her on fuuinjutsu.

For all intents and purposes, things were looking up.

Except, there was the elephant in the room. Danzou hadn't come for her yet. She'd lied in wait many a night in her apartment, somehow anticipating him to make another night visit, but he'd never shown. She'd never noticed anything strange in her apartment, never noticed anyone following her, nothing.

'_Is he waiting for the perfect time to strike?_' she wondered, one late night in the dead of summer. The A/C had been acting up for their apartment building, and so she'd drawn the window open boldly, and wore nothing but pajama shorts and a black tank top. She sat curled on the couch, eyes on the open window semi-expectantly. '_If so, I think this would be it..._'

The night was warm, but thankfully not as sweltering as the day. She could hear the cicadas buzzing in the trees, but that was it, as the air was still and tepid. Not a single breeze, predictably.

**"Charlie, if you're going to deprive yourself of sleep, please do it for a reason,"** Minato chided gently. He'd taken his role as teacher rather seriously, as she and Kakashi hardly spoke now. So much so, in fact, that he almost always had a life lesson whenever he opened his mouth.

He was lucky she liked his company, otherwise they would've gotten sick of each other much sooner.

'_Mi-na-to,'_ Charlie whined childishly, knowing it would irritate him in the slightest degree, '_I _do_ have a reason! I'm waiting for the big bad man to sweep me away!'_

**"Please don't say it like that..."** her companion muttered. **"Besides, a watched pot seldom-"**

'_-boils, I know,_' she grunted. '_I can't help it. Even if I hate his guts... I'm getting impatient.'_ And she had reason to. Naruto was getting antsy with all of the D-rank missions he'd had to participate in, so much so that she knew the infamous Wave mission was just around the corner. '_Perhaps I could be there, but as I am, I'm more a hindrance than a help!'_ she complained.

Oh, and it had been _difficult_ getting used to only having one arm. How did one brush their teeth, hair, take a shower, cook food, _buy _food, or do just about anything else with only one arm! The answer was: frustratingly slowly. As much as she hated to admit it, the idea of getting some sort of false arm was starting to look better and better.

Even if it was kind of sick.

**"You'll get better at it,"**Minato encouraged cheerily.

Charlie grimaced. '_Minato, I'm coming in there,'_ she said, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. '_I really can't be bothered with this anymore.'_

It had become easier to visit him.

It had always been rather easy for her to access her mental labyrinth. She'd done it in the previous dimension all the time. But accessing the specific part of her mind where Minato resided required a tad more finesse. Still, the past month had been rather lonely, even by her standards- Naruto and his squad were often busy with missions, the Hokage was still frosty towards her, and Kakashi had made himself scarce too. And so, she worked hard on visiting the one person who couldn't possibly leave her.

* * *

Minato ticked an eyebrow at her. "You're rather bold, coming in here without so much as knocking," he joked with a playfully stern expression.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Exactly _whose _house are you in?" she retorted, though she couldn't help the grin on her face as she held up her two hands for viewing. This was her favorite part about being here- everything was as it was when she'd left her dimension. Her age was the same, her clothes were the same, and she had two, workable arms.

"So," she added, plopping down and crossing her legs on the strange floor-yet-not of the yellow void. "What have you been thinking lately?"

The blond mirrored her position, resting his chin on his fist. "I'm sure you know. There's not much I can hide from you, after all."

"Hah! As if, you're the one who can read my thoughts, not the other way around," she huffed, though there was little ire in her tone. She had long grown used to sharing those, though admittedly it did get a bit awkward after a while. "And anyway, it's different to talk to you face-to-face rather than your disembodied voice."

He gave a quick smile. "How so?"

"'How so?'" she mocked. "Like that! You know, they say 80% of communication is body language. How am I supposed to talk to you like a person if I can't see you?" '_Well, that and you've got a nice face.'_

The blond burst into laughter. "I knew you had an ulterior motive!"

Ah, yes, awkward- definitely the right term.

Charlie couldn't help the embarrassed flush on her cheeks. No wonder Kushina had fallen in love with him- anyone could fall for that face, that laugh. Hell, no wonder he made _Hokage_\- he'd probably shot Sarutobi one reassuring smile and got handed the hat. How irritating. "Shut up, idiot. I'm being serious. Plus, I figure you must get bored in here after a while." She scratched her cheek sheepishly. There really wasn't much for a soul to do here. How the hell had he stayed sane in the Shinigami's stomach for so long?

"Not at all. Whenever I'm bored, I just come to bother you!" he responded happily. "Much more entertaining than those soap operas you were telling me about that one time."

She pouted. "You've never even seen a soap opera. Besides, my life is far less dramatic." Then she frowned, pausing. "Erm, maybe not. But definitely less rife with social drama!" '_ ...Because I just steep in my apartment all day waiting for that creeper to come a-knocking.'_

Her shoulders slumped, and it seemed as though a dark, oppressive cloud loomed over her. '_I can't be..._ that_ much of a recluse, can I?'_

"There, there," Minato said, patting her consolingly on the shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, ANBU training really sucks, so it's not... exactly something one should look forward to."

She stared at him blandly while his smile twitched. "No, actually. That makes me feel worse. Thank you." He wilted a bit, and just to rub salt in the wound, she added, "Jeez, I take back what I thought earlier. How the hell did someone as socially inept as you make Hokage?"

To her surprise, his lower lip _did_ seem to puff out a bit as he mumbled, "Since when were you so mean...?"

Charlie's mouth quivered a bit before she let out her _own_ laugh, nowhere near as musical but just as genuine. "I'm kidding, Minato. At least you tried."

The blond sighed, ruffling his own porcupine hair. "Yeah, yeah, make your fun," he grumbled. "Then after, you can ogle me some more."

She gaped at him for a moment, searching fruitlessly for a witty response as he smirked slyly at her. '_That little-'_ "It's unfortunate your pretty face is wasted on your lackluster personality," she retorted with a bored tone of voice.

It was his turn to blink speechlessly at her while she fought down a grin. "Never trade words with a genius," she continued boldly, pointing a proud thumb at her own chest. "We'll decimate you with just one sentence."

To her annoyance, he started laughing at her. "I believe we've both been touted as prodigies. However will our verbal battle end?"

"I'll box you," Charlie offered, holding up her fists. He cocked his head in confusion at her. "C'mon, one of us is clearly better than the other in a physical fight. It's the only way to settle things. Besides, you've trained me in almost everything else. Why not?" She shrugged nonchalantly. It was a bad idea, of course- he'd most definitely win- but she grew itchy sitting around.

He puffed out his chest confidently. "Why make an offer you're certainly going to be on the losing end of?"

She huffed. "We don't _know_ that," she retorted haughtily. "Who knows, maybe without that flashy jutsu of yours you're as slow as-" There was a flicker of movement.

"You were saying?" he replied with a taunting smile.

The redhead pouted under him until he removed his hand from her throat. He leaned back slightly, though he was still close enough that she could see the darker flecks of blue in his eyes. "You're supposed to wait until we both are ready, stupid. Whatever happened to the seal of confrontation?" she complained, dutifully ignoring the flush creeping up her neck.

"Regular shinobi aren't going to wait for the seal of confrontation, Charlie," Minato admonished lightly, getting to his feet and offering a hand. "And regular shinobi should be expecting dirty tricks."

"And normal senseis should be nice to their students," she grumbled, allowing him to pull her up with ease.

"Hey! I'm nice," he said sulkily. "Anyway, how's this: come at me with all you've got, and I'll just go on the defensive."

She couldn't help the grin spreading her cheeks. "So you're just gonna _let_ me beat you up? That's not very prodigious of you..." she taunted.

"I should have you know that as you are now, you're much weaker than your other body. This is only to learn skills. And... by the way, you'll only be able to beat me up if you can catch me."

'_Shit,_' she thought, grimacing as he seemed to blur and disappear from view. "Are you _literally _running circles around me?!" she exclaimed, and only heard laughter.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Rat," Danzou greeted, little inflection in his tone as he turned towards the chilly chakra signature of one of his best men.

The crouched Root member looked up from the base of Danzou's cloak, slowly removing his mask. He was a handsome man, and talented enough to have lasted over six years in the dark world of Black Ops. A jagged scar cut through his lip to his chin, but it did not have any bearing on the sharpness of his dark eyes or the pointedness of his features. If anything, it only served to make him more intimidating.

"It's about time," the warhawk continued, gaze roving over the younger man's steely features. He wondered belatedly if it wasn't a better idea to get someone else to retrieve the girl- he knew all too well that Rat would prefer her head on a platter than in their service. Still, it was a bit late for that now.

Beyond that, it would send an important message to the ANBU that had a problem with his decision to include a girl so clearly suspicious. He knew all too well how easily dissidents can multiply in the face of weakness. It would be seen as a warning, to send one of her most heavy opposers to fetch her.

Rat's expression didn't change. "Where am I to bring her, sir?" he voiced cooly.

Danzou thought a moment. "Bring her to the administrative building, I'll take it from there. I don't want to risk her seeing anything."

"Understood, Danzou-sama," the black haired man bowed his head and disappeared in a rush of leaves.

The elder gripped the handle of his staff, curiosity rising despite his efforts.

* * *

Rat grit his teeth behind his mask as he sent chakra to his legs. He hopped along the rooftops unseen, signature masked, towards _that girl_'s house. '_Danzou-sama is playing with fire,_' he thought grimly, seeing the round and red building not too far away. The kid lived in the cheaper housing the village could afford for orphans like her.

Rat didn't like to speculate. He really didn't. And he liked to think that Danzou knew what he was doing- after all, the man was a genius when it came to strategy, and Rat knew instinctively that he would never do anything to harm the village. But _this_? The man was playing with fire, in the form of a 4'11 girl with frustrating red hair that he still couldn't explain away.

He dropped down onto the tiny balcony of her apartment, taking in the darkness of its interior. The sun hadn't yet risen, but it was already 5:30 in the morning. '_Pathetic,'_ he couldn't help but gripe, '_any normal candidate would be up and dressed by now._'

He could see her prone body lying on the uncomfortable looking couch, so he decided that the best method to weed her out quickly would be to scare the hell out of her.

With practiced ease, he picked the flimsy lock to the sliding door and stepped in noiselessly, careful to conceal his chakra. He had to grudgingly admit that she was fairly good at sensing. To his pleasure, she didn't move as he approached her side, sandals soundless on the hardwood floor. Her chakra remained slow and consistent.

He stood over the girl, scowl hidden behind her mask. Such a little thing, yet she had created so many waves. She was dressed only in a tank top and shorts, her red hair now cut short and bangs plastered to her face with sweat. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was having a nightmare- but the only indicator of such was her furrowed brows.

Real nightmares woke a person up screaming.

His sword made a quiet _schick _as he pulled it from its scabbard and held it to her throat. He opened his mouth to say something and alert her, when he felt cold steel against his _own_ throat. His body froze.

"It's not nice to break into a lady's home without permission," came her mild voice from behind him.

It could almost sound conversational, if her amber hued eyes weren't glinting dangerously.

"I mean honestly," she continued, as he released a wave of KI in her direction. The only sign of its effect was the strength of the grip on her kunai. "I could've been naked. Then, you would've been defeated by a _naked_ twelve year old. How embarrassing for you."

The clone beneath him poofed out of existence, and he straightened, ignoring the small nick her blade made in his skin as he did so. She smiled thinly at him as she lowered her weapon. "I'm guessing you're here to _fetch_ me?" the red haired girl asked.

Rat made an unseen face, before gripping her arm- her _only_ arm, he noticed with a faint tinge of surprise- and all but dragging the girl from her apartment. She made no move to stop him, though she became resistent just long enough to lock her door.

"You know, we can travel together without you pulling me along like some convict," she voiced as they trampled awkwardly down the stairs. "I _did_ sign up for this, after all."

The dark haired man glared at her a moment before letting go. He wanted her to know that he didn't trust her. He wanted her to know that she would not be well received once she got there. But frustratingly, she just gave him a little knowing smile and continued on as the two exited onto the empty street below.

"Hey, what's your name by the way?" the girl asked, staring at him with eyes that had turned just a hair warmer. "I'm Charlie- though from how much you stalked me back then, I'm sure you've figured that out already."

Rat never paused in his steps, though he did feel a wave of something like _caution_ wash over him. She'd never given any indication of being a sensor back then, or at the least, that she'd noticed him at all. Yet another unwanted surprise. "Rat," he said flatly, and nothing else.

Charlie hummed noncommittally, and the rest of the trip to the ANBU administrative building was silent.

The building was a tall, rounded structure near the Hokage Tower, with no markings advertising itself as such. The first floor was the locker room, mostly for shinobi who needed to change quickly. Most never advanced to the floors above, consisting of administrative offices as well as a few enforced training grounds.

The top floor consisted of holding cells.

Standing as still as a statue, Rat's leader watched them near the entrance as the two of them approached. He gave Rat a dismissive nod when they drew close enough, but his dark gaze was on the girl.

Rat bowed once and departed, annoyance once again stabbing through his chest.

* * *

Charlie smiled at the man in front of her. "Good morning," she greeted blandly.

Danzou nodded his head a fraction of an inch. "Come," he said simply, turning his shoulder and walking into the building without looking to see if she followed. The redhead shrugged, advancing into the rather cold atmosphere of the ANBU headquarters with little expression.

The ninja behind the front desk stared at them only a second before glancing away, obviously shrugging off the young girl since she was by the elder's side. Danzou didn't spare the man a glance as the two turned the corner to a dimly lit hallway. '_This looks like a_ _sanitarium,' _Charlie thought, grimacing a little at the plain gray walls, gray floors. '_Feel like he's leading me to a padded cell._'

**"Well, considering you have a voice in your head...**" Minato trailed off suggestively. The redhead rolled her eyes.

They came to a barred window, lit dimly by a green sign spelling the word 'Equipment'. Behind the bars was an ANBU member, clad in standard gear with a mask on. He nodded his head to Danzou, then turned to stare at Charlie. She could barely see his eyes through the dark holes in his mask.

He made a small sound of surprise, but merely turned around, rifling through the room for a moment. He came back a moment later with a tub. "Here, it's the smallest I could find," he said gruffly, head turning in Danzou's direction for a moment. No doubt wondering why they were about to employ a 12-year-old.

Charlie merely took the bin with a smile. The mask on top was of some unrecognizable creature, a swirl of black paint around one eye and a mercurial grin painted in red for the mouth.

She hitched it on her hip and followed the silent warhawk down the hall. "This is the female locker room," Danzou noted, pausing suddenly as they came to the first door. "Find one that doesn't have a placard and change," he added.

Charlie slipped through the door, entering into yet another dimly lit room. There was only one kunoichi in the room, sat on the communal bench with her mask pulled to the side. She was wrapping her ankle in bandages, but paused as the young girl entered.

She had deep purple eyes and dark hair shorn close to her head, and her gray vest was splattered with browning blood.

The woman raised one thin eyebrow. "Little young," she noted, whistling lowly. Her voice had a dark quality to it, but it was nice to listen to.

Charlie shrugged offhandedly as she approached, setting the bin down and boldly shucking her tank top off. "Y'know, I get that a lot," the redhead replied casually. She dug around until she found the fishnet underguard and the standard black shirt of the uniform, and pulled them on. "Charlie, by the way," she added, giving a little grin.

The woman's dubious expression did not fall. "Spider," she replied, lips flickering up a bit.

"That's not a very nice name to give your child," Charlie said, humor laced in her tone. She tugged off her shorts and changed into the tactical pants, then pulled the gray vest over her head. It fit only a smidge too big on her.

"A name's a name," Spider retorted simply. She finished taping her leg off and pulled her sandal back on. "I hope you wise up and leave this place before you get killed, kid." Then, she was marching off, muttering something about 'finding a damn wet wipe in this hellhole'.

"It's Charlie!" the redhead called to the woman's retreating back.

Once she'd finished changing, the girl picked an unclaimed locker at random and threw her pajamas in unceremoniously. She retraced the path to the locker room door and met up again with the old man in the hallway.

He made a small noise of approval and led the way to a set of stairs. "We'll be going to the training area to assess your physical ability," the elder explained shortly.

Charlie's eyebrow raised slightly as the two began to climb the dark staircase. "I doubt I'll be particularly impressive," she cautioned. Something niggled uncomfortably at her brain, something like apprehension.

"The point is not to be impressive, it is to establish a baseline," Danzou replied shortly, and said nothing more. Hazel eyes glanced warily up at the man's stern visage, but his expression hadn't changed.

They advanced the rest of the staircase with no more words between them, despite the tension of the girl's unanswered curiosity. Suddenly, as they reached the second floor, a bolt of lightning rushed up her spine. She stiffened automatically, eyes narrowing as she glanced around the seemingly empty hallway. '_What's... this feeling?' _she thought warily.

**"Someone is fighting nearby," **Minato informed. He sounded just as on edge as she was.

"What you sense is killing intent," came Danzou's cold voice to her right. "When elite shinobi do battle, one becomes used to such things. But, since you _are_ a fledgling..." He, rather boldly in her opinion, grabbed her uninjured shoulder and led her to the first set of double doors on the right, pulling the handle of one door open and standing behind her in the doorframe.

What she saw was nothing short of _terrifying_. Two ninja, both of their faces covered in ivory masks, were painted in each others' blood as they faced off in the center of a large empty room. The ground beneath was covered with mats, and the walls seemed reinforced with some sort of thick rubber coating. Both ANBU had their shortswords drawn, and both of their swords were covered in blood. Their black training gear were ripped to shreds.

Charlie could hear how raggedly the both of them were breathing, but neither made a sound as the one with blond hair made multiple clones of himself and launched at his opponent. Blue sparks ignited between swords as the two (now five) met midway. The redhead's knees weakened as the waves of murderous energy radiated from the both of them, and she could hardly restrain her mouth from popping open. '_How can there be so much negative energy here? Aren't they just-_ sparring?'

The clones began to disappear, until there was only the two of them again. The dark haired one finally let out a curse as the blond's sword caught him in the shoulder. "Fuck. Warthog!" he grunted, jumping back and clenching his hand over the injured shoulder. Beneath his fingers, green chakra began to heal over the wound.

The blond chuckled. He dried off his sword on his pant leg and put it back in its sheath. "You still wanna go?" he asked, walking forward a few silent steps.

"Nah, I'll call it here. I've got a mission in a few days," the dark haired one replied, sounding a bit contrite. Immediately, the bad vibes dissipated, and Charlie released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

"Danzou-sama," the blond suddenly said as he and the dark haired man knelt in unison. "We apologize for not acknowledging you sooner."

The elder smiled thinly as he pushed Charlie further into the blood soaked room. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your spar, Warthog, Owl. Our newest recruit was merely curious." His hand tightened on her shoulder.

Owl, the dark haired one, scratched the back of his head as the two elites neared her. "Is this one from the Academy?" he asked, voice smooth but with just a hint of surprise.

Charlie inclined her head. "Nice to meet you," she said.

Owl made a short hum. "You must've done something really impressive to catch Danzou-sama and Hokage-sama's eyes. They hardly ever recruit Academy kids anymore."

"Prodigies are hard to come by," Warthog agreed, nodding sagely. "And even harder to keep."

"No need to scare the girl off," Danzou interceded with a smile. He'd said it in a goodnatured way, but she could sense the irritated vibes rolling off him. "Now, if one of you is willing, I was just about to test her physical abilities."

It was less a suggestion and more an order.

Warthog shrugged easily. "No problem, Danzou-sama."

Owl made himself scarce with a wave over his shoulder and a 'good luck!' thrown towards the redhead, and Danzou stood against the wall as the two stood in the center of the room. "Taijutsu only, Warthog. Limited chakra," the elder ordered, mostly for the girl's benefit.

Warthog cracked his hips, nodded his head, and abruptly... disappeared.

Charlie's eyes widened as they wheeled around in search of him. Her back stiffened with heightened awareness, and she bent her knees, preparing to dodge.

She felt a slight wind ruffle her hair- **"4 o' clock!" **

Tucking and rolling, she narrowly avoided the ANBU elite's sword as it cut neatly through the air. Warthog flipped onto his feet a yard away, and said with a grin in his tone, "Gonna have to be quicker than that, Little Red."

Charlie huffed, pulled her own sword from its scabbard, and sent chakra to her feet as she dashed at him. "That's more like it!" the man teased as she forced him backward with a flurry of slashes. He seemed adept at avoiding them. "Unfortunately for you, however-" he continued, parrying her strike with ease, "-you're not too strong." Then, his wrapped foot hit her chest, and she was airborne.

The redhead cursed aloud and coughed as she caught herself on the wall with chakra. Her chest ached like fire, and it hurt now to draw breath. He only gave her a moment to compose herself before he was coming at her again, and he didn't need chakra to be almost invisibly fast. It was all she could do to block his strike and ward him off long enough to lauch herself away.

**"Come on, use that brain of yours,"** Minato urged, his nervous energy like static between her ears. He sounded like he was watching a soccer game, bouncing knee and all.

_'He's obviously stronger than I am,' _she thought, '_and he's obviously had way more experience with this sword. I've never even used one...' _She rolled out of the way of his downward strike, and almost gaped as the wind from his swing hit her. He... _really _wasn't going to hold back, was he? '_But if I use chakra, I can be faster than him. And if I send it to my fists, I can be stronger than him, too.'_ Was it cheating? Or was it leveling the playing field?

Slowly, she put her sword away again, retrieving a plain kunai from her pouch. "That's not very smart, girlie," Warthog voiced, pulling his blade from the _fissure in the ground_.

Charlie cocked her head. "You know, you're not the first person who's said that to me." She bent her knees and came at him, pumping chakra to her leg muscles and willing herself to go _faster, faster_. Her kunai made contact with his sword, and she sent chakra to her arm, holding him at bay. "Unfortunately for _you_, however, all I _am_ is smart." She released the pressure and instantly bent, putting as much force as possible into her kick as she aimed for his shoulder.

Her foot barely made contact before he was leaping away, shaking out his sword arm as he did so. "Yowch," he voiced lightheartedly, "good thing I didn't let that connect all the way. Who taught you to use chakra to enhance muscle power?"

The redhead smiled, swiping at the shallow cut his sword had made on her cheek. "Read it in a book once," she replied easily. '_Well, read it in the_ _manga_...'

"You'll have to lend it to me sometime," he said, bracing his knees as if he was about to run at her.

Charlie's eyes narrowed in concentration, and she said no more as he crossed the gym in a single second. They met halfway, and he swung his blade wide to keep her from coming closer. She ducked under the swing, nicking off the ends of a few pieces of hair as she did so, and swiped her leg under him. He flipped over her body with practiced ease, and sent his next swing lower. She barely managed to get her arm off the ground fast enough to stop him, and sent chakra to the muscles of it as she flung his sword backwards.

She made use of the opening she'd made, chakra-coated foot slamming into his chest as fast as lightning. He hacked a bloody cough as his body flew backwards, and he barely managed to flip onto his feet against the far wall. The impact left a small crater. Charlie got to her feet, breathing heavily as the man scowled at her and put a green hand over his own chest. His other sheathed his sword. "You cracked two ribs," he accused hotly, wincing in pain.

Amber eyes rolled, and she put her kunai away. "Sorry, I must've pulled back at the last second," she taunted easily. Her gaze darted to Danzou, who still stood observing in the corner. His expression was unreadable.

"Bah, I'm the one who was careless," Warthog mumbled, finally lowering his hand. "Let's call it here. I don't have enough chakra to heal myself from another kick like that. Good fight, little mouse." Suddenly, he moved his mask to the side, revealing high cheekbones, blue eyes, and a wide grin. He was maybe 20, 21, and there was the beginnings of stubble on his chin.

"'Mouse'?" Charlie echoed, a bit offended. Her muscles burned as she and Warthog drifted towards Danzou, and she wondered briefly if she'd overdone it. That spar had been exhausting- she could feel the weariness and weakness seeping slowly through her muscles. "That was a good spar," she remarked, pleasantly surprised.

Danzou's expression cracked into a small smile as the two reached him. "You held back, Warthog," he said, tone only slightly displeased. Charlie fought to regain control of her facial muscles before they revealed her shock; he'd gone _easy_ on her?

The blond chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Danzou-sama. Didn't you want to see how far along she was, though?"

The old man turned, and left the room in silent steps. Charlie was forced to follow behind. "If she cannot keep up, she'll be cut down. You do her no kindness by being gentle, shinobi, remember that."

Charlie turned just in time to see the frustrated look on Warthog's face smooth over into a mask of acceptance. He bowed at the waist. "Understood, Danzou-sama. Good luck, girlie," he added, shooting the girl a wink before turning in the opposite direction.

A weird feeling was building in her gut. A sense of impending doom, perhaps? "Danzou-sama, where are we going now?" she asked him, after about five minutes of silent walking. How big _was _this place, anyway?

Wait, wait a minute. It hadn't been this long from the outside. There was no way-

Stiffening, she made half of a seal with her one hand, but before she could disrupt her chakra flow, something slammed into her head.

* * *

She woke to the sounds of screaming.

Like she'd been shocked, Charlie sat straight up, and realized she was already in a chair. Tied down by the ankles, with her one wrist bound to the seat below her. The room around her was gray, just like the rest of the building had been, and there was a metal table in front of her, along with another chair. There was a door on the opposite wall, and nothing else.

Nothing besides the screams. They seemed to echo all around her, like people in the rooms next to hers were being tortured.

Amber eyes hardened over as she shifted in her seat. The chair was nailed to the floor. Where was she? T&I? For what?

The door opened abruptly, and made a harsh sound as it collided with its adjacent wall. In its frame, a dark haired, dark eyed man she'd never seen before was staring balefully at her. He almost seemed to turn up his nose. "Ugh. The boss sticks me with the midget? What kind of bullshit job is this?" he muttered to himself, advancing into the room and slamming the door shut behind him. "This has got to be the worst day I've had in weeks."

"So sorry to rain on your parade. Want to tell me what this is?" The redhead smiled evenly. Internally, however, she was reeling; this guy gave off bad, _bad_ vibes. Violent vibes. Yet he wore a hitai-ate. He was dressed in their ANBU uniform, mask swinging from his belt.

"You can think of it as another part of the admission process, if you want," the man hummed. Then, he gave a predatory smile. "To tell the truth, though, some questions have arisen regarding your loyalty to the village. I'm here to ensure it." His footsteps seemed to echo as he migrated to the chair and sat heavily.

Her expression gave nothing away. '_I knew it! I fucking knew that bastard was-'_

**"Charlie, calm down. He'll be able to sense your anger." **Minato's voice was so monotone. So dead. It sent a spark of cold down her spine.

As was that look the man across the table was giving her. A hungry look. She forced a placid expression onto her face. "I am in no way disloyal to this village. It took me in in my time of need," she protested, calmly and clearly. Good so far...

The man snorted, leaning forward. "'In your time of need', huh? That's the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard. And you'd better believe that if _I_ don't believe it, Danzou-sama sure as hell doesn't." He spoke crassly, and it annoyed her.

"Hokage-sama_ himself _drafted my citizenship papers. Are you calling _both_ of us liars?" She narrowed her eyes. "And who are you, anyway?"

He shrugged. "Name's Takeru. And, just to make it _very _clear-" he leaned forward more, until his imposing form hovered over her own. She bit her tongue. "-I would never call my Hokage a liar. I'm calling _you_ one." Then, he slapped her across the face. "But either way, it'll be made clear one way or another."

Cheek smarting, her gaze was hard enough to cut steel. "I hope you're ready to lose your job," she hissed.

Takeru laughed boldly as he stood to his full height- he had to be over six feet. He pulled a kunai from the pouch at his waist, and all but danced around the table. "Sweetheart, if _this_ wasn't in the job description, I wouldn't have it."

**"Charlie, go back." **

'_What?_' She was panicking. Maybe. A little. Okay, a lot. That knife looked sharp. And Minato sounded serious.

**"Go back, I said," **Minato insisted. He had a stern, urgent tone in his voice. **"He's going to put us in a genjutsu, if he hasn't already. You won't be able to keep your mouth shut. Now, _go back_."**

And then, like he promised he'd never do, Minato tore control from her.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey howdy. Another update. More angst, but I think you will like this one :) Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope you all enjoy!**

**Chapter 22**

Minato kept his eyes closed.

Obviously.

He kept his head down, his eyes closed, and his lips pressed together against the physical onslaught. Unfortunately for Takeru, he was quite used to such things. One did not become Hokage by being weak in body or mind.

It appeared as though he were a person weathering a hurricane, rounded shoulders and crinkled face. What battered him was not wind or rain, but for a person like him, it all became the same to him. Easy to separate one's mind from one's body. Pain was only painful if it had to be.

The interrogator was roaring questions at him. Questions of loyalty, where Charlie had come from, what her intentions were. And each time, the answers were the same.

"I would never harm Konoha."

"I come from a compound on the edge of Fire country. I don't remember where I was before that, but I was kept as a servant."

"I want a safer world for all of us."

Noble goals. A noble shinobi. He was one. And he knew Charlie would one day grow into the goals she'd set for herself. '_If only people like Shimura Danzou didn't exist.'_ Truthfully, he'd half-expected this outcome. The admission process for ANBU was a rigorous one. First was the physical aptitude test- one which, evidently, she'd passed. And then, the mental aptitude test- he assumed this was the bastardized version.

And Charlie had known, too, that Danzou didn't trust her. But to go this far- Minato had to doubt that they were in a genjutsu right now. In fact, he very much doubted it. He didn't sense the fog that usually came with those techniques. This was... reality. She'd leave the room filleted, if she left at all.

"Why don't you just tell the truth, you little brat?" Takeru ground out, pulling back Minato's hair with one tight fist. He grimaced. The bruiser was losing his patience. "No kid shows up out of nowhere, _naked_, just to let the village jinchuuriki find her and become her best fucking friend! What the hell did you do, huh? Gave him a smile, and he worshipped the ground you walked on? Is that it?"

Minato could smell his breath, and knew he was only inches from his face. "No self-respecting brat would defend him. That's what gave it away, you know. You're too _smart_ to put yourself next to the village's most _hated_ person."

Minato chuckled. Blood trickled from his ear, from his nose- it tickled. "He never gave me a reason to hate him," he said. "I'm too _smart_ to decide a person's character based on other's opinions."

Takeru gave an annoyed growl and slammed Minato's face into the table. Something cracked, and it ricocheted all the way to the back of his skull. "You've got a sharp tongue. ANBU would train that out of you in a heartbeat. Hell, maybe _I_ should train it out of you now!"

There was a tearing sound, and warmth rushed down his arm. Minato said nothing, and it only pissed the man off more. He held the blade to Minato's neck, his voice now low and dangerous. "Maybe I should just kill you instead. It would be easier, wouldn't it?"

"If you were going to kill me, you would've done so already," Minato replied, sounding exasperated.

Takeru barked a laugh. "You got me, kid! I only get to kill you if I'm sure you're some sort of plant. Unfortunately, you haven't given me much to work with."

Minato slowly raised his head against the force of the man's arm trying to pin him down. He faced straight ahead, expression still blank as ever. "I'm sure you would enjoy killing me, but unfortunately for you, I am a loyal ninja of this village and even the likes of _you_ wouldn't scare me off." A quick smile on bloody lips. "If you would, please untie me. My shoulder is starting to ache."

The man let out a low grumbling sound. "You're not in the position of asking me for anything. We still haven't decided your loyalty yet." But, he did withdraw himself from Minato's person.

He raised his eyebrow. "Oh? Have you decided torture won't get you the answer that you want?"

Takeru snorted, and Minato heard the sound of his footsteps again as he rounded the table. "No, but this truth serum will." A small schick, and a deep burning sensation in his thigh. Minato startled, already feeling the thick spread of the serum like molasses as it travelled up and down his leg and into his abdomen. His leg spasmed, and then his stomach, muscles constricting painfully as if he'd been shocked.

When it travelled to his throat, Minato mildly worried that he wouldn't be able to breathe, but that thought faded away as the serum loosened his thoughts and his tongue. '_Shut the hell up,'_ he told himself warningly. '_Just keep your mouth shut, and Charlie will be fine.'_

The girl hadn't spoken once since he'd shoved her back there, and he wondered if she was unconscious or if she was purposefully ignoring him.

He'd never been subjected to this drug before. He'd used it, of course, and he'd seen it used. But it was truly terrifying to have to clamp down on his own thoughts and not let them fly away. That was how the drug worked; it turned your consciousness to mush. Until you were nothing but a shell with all the answers the interrogator wants. It was scarily effective. '_But it won't be on me,'_ Minato reaffirmed.

He could feel the burn of Takeru's eyes on his face, and let his features relax. Perhaps if he thought him more pliant, he would believe what he said.

After what felt like an eternity, Takeru's voice filtered into his ears much more calmly than he'd been before. Almost like he was a different person. A master manipulator. "Who are you?" he asked simply.

"Shimizu Charlie," Minato replied evenly.

"How long have you _been_ Shimizu Charlie?"

'_Neve- no, eighteen years- no, how old is she here?' _"Twelve years." A short breath through his nose.

"Where do you come from?"

"The Land of Fire." The truth. He liked telling the truth. It was easier. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth.

"_Where _in the Land of Fire?" Takeru pressed.

"T-the edge. Not sure where." Hadn't they written in the report that it was the outskirts of the Land of Fire?

"How old are you?"

"Twelve years."

"Do you like Konoha?"

He smiled blissfully. "I love Konoha." He loved, loved, loved Konoha.

A slap against his cheek shook him from his thoughts, and his smile fell. "Do. You. Like. Konoha?" Takeru bit out.

"I love Konoha." It could be his affirmation. His way of getting through all of this suffering. He loved his village. Charlie loved his village. Charlie loved _their_ village. It wasn't a lie, not at all, because_ Charlie _loved Konoha too!

"Are you loyal to Konoha?"

"Yes," Minato hummed. He almost, _ almost_ opened his eyes, but refrained. He thought about Charlie instead, about how she was probably pissed at him for taking over her body, and about how she was relying on_ him _now to get them through this situation. A bucket of cold ice, that was what it was. He could see it in his mind's eye, the disappointed look in her auburn eyes. He never wanted to see that.

He forced his head straight from where it was lolling backwards. _ He_ was lolling backwards. It felt like he was constantly falling backwards, even though he was sitting straight- no, he was slumping backwards again. Damn it, _focus_.

"Are. You. Loyal. To Konoha?" Takeru sounded annoyed again.

"Konoha is my village. My home. My only home." Minato had to say it twice, because it was so damn _true_. He loved his village.

"Who is Uzumaki Naruto?"

"My best friend," Minato replied. But his brain said, '_My son, my son, my son, he's my son!'_ And his lips trembled with the force it took to keep it back.

"_What_ is Uzumaki Naruto?"

"My best friend," Minato repeated.

Another slap, this one rattled his teeth. "I didn't say who, I said _ what."_

"Naruto is my best friend! We love each other!" Minato exclaimed. What the hell was he trying to get him to say? He was telling the _ truth!_

Takeru sighed in annoyance. "Who are you loyal to?"

"Hokage-sama. And Naruto-kun. And Kakashi-kun." Oops, he'd said -kun.

Luckily, Takeru didn't seem to notice. He decided to focus on something else. "Not Danzou-sama?"

"Danzou-sama is not loyal to me." Minato's knee was bouncing violently, he just realized. He stilled it, but the moment his mind was distracted, it started again. Sweat built on his neck.

"But you respect Danzou-sama, surely?"

"Mhm!" is all Minato can get out, because he's screwed his lips shut from saying something he'd regret. He tries again. "Danzou-sama is a village elder."

"That didn't really answer my question. You don't respect Danzou-sama, do you?" The man's voice sounds poisonous.

"One respects village elders," Minato replied. That wasn't what he should've said.

Takeru was near him again. He could feel the warmth of his breath on his face. "You don't _like_ Danzou-sama, do you?"

Minato laughed hysterically. '_Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,'_ he reminded himself. "If Danzou-sama told you to do this," he said, carefully navigating through the fog of the drug to speak clearly, "then I do not like Danzou-sama. And I don't like _you_, either."

And _that_ was a truth he'd say sober.

The man laughed cruelly. "What a smart mouth."

His fist slammed into Minato's nose. A crack, more blood. Broken twice. "Smart mouths don't belong in ANBU. Talking back, neither."

Minato's voice was nasally, and he almost choked on the blood sliding down his throat and churning his belly. "Is Danzou-sama watching?" he wondered out loud.

"Danzou-sama doesn't have time to concern himself with the likes of _you, _girl," Takeru hissed. "Tell me what you know!"

A smile drifted onto his lips. His head was feeling woozy, this time not from the drug. He was going to pass out, and soon. "I don't know anything," he forced from between his teeth.

"Can a Yamanaka confirm that?" The interrogator's voice was dubious, mocking.

"A Yamanaka already has," Minato replied easily, before his head hit the table and it was lights out.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi set his half-lidded gaze on the unassuming ANBU building, and felt something like apprehension.

His student was in there, somewhere. Probably suffering. Initiation was... difficult.

"Kakashi-sensei~!" Naruto sang, galloping towards the man with a wide grin. Kakashi's lips flickered up. The boy had regained his good cheer after a few days, and with plenty of reassurance from Charlie. Now, he was so happy that he was bouncing.

"Ugh, slow down, Naruto," Sasuke grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. He and Sakura took up the rear at a much more reasonable pace, the boy with a bored expression and the girl making eyes in his direction.

Kakashi had been unable, thus far, to bring out the ninja in the doe-eyed girl. He wasn't really used to teaching such a kunoichi- Charlie was a focused, hardworking individual with... direction. Goals. Kakashi had yet to figure out what drove Sakura besides the fact that she was teammates with the Uchiha. '_Surely there was something that made her sign up for the_ _Academy_.' He wanted to bring that out. The girl who wanted to be a ninja for herself, for her own reasons.

He'd had more luck with Sasuke, surprisingly. He'd had rather low expectations of him- not that he wasn't skilled, because he was, but in every other category. Cooperation, for one. Speaking with other people without scowling at them, for another. He could remember back then, a short month ago, when they'd first introduced themselves.

_"My name is Hatake Kakashi," the jounin said, crossing his arms over his chest. Naruto had a playful smile on his face. Sasuke, the angry one, merely met his eyes with a blank expression. And Sakura, predictably, stared at the boy with red cheeks. "My likes and dislikes... I don't feel like telling you__. And my dreams for the future..." He paused for a significant moment. "I have a lot of hobbies. Naruto-kun, you go first."_

_The children slumped in exasperation, though Naruto let out a laugh as if to say, 'as expected'. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!" the boy started, causing his team to cringe at the volume. "I like ramen, training, and my friends! I dislike the time it takes for ramen to cook, and mean people. My hobbies are comparing different types of ramen, gardening, and training with Ch-" he caught himself with a wince. "... And my goal is to be the greatest Hokage, so that people will treat me like I'm somebody. Somebody important!"_

_Kakashi's throat bobbed. "And you, Sasuke-kun?"_

_Sasuke removed his steepled hands from his mouth to speak. "Uchiha Sasuke. I like a few things. I dislike a lot of things. My goal is to rebuild my clan and to kill a certain man." _

_The jounin sighed a little. He hated that dark glint in his eye, the one that hungered for chaos. He was sure _he_ once had that very same look. He couldn't let it repeat this time. He had fought his way through the darkness for far too long to let any student of his wallow in it, too. _

_Besides. Charlie saw something in him. And she was seldom wrong._

_Kakashi finally turned towards Sakura. "And... the girl."_

_Sakura smiled nervously. "My name is Haruno Sakura. My like is... I mean, the _person_ I like is-" she cut off, giggling. Kakashi winced. "I dislike _NARUTO-_" who then frowned, shooting her a hurt look but not saying a word. "And my dream for the future is-" she cut herself off again, squealing. _

_The silver-haired man sweatdropped._

After that, it became obvious that Sasuke was the 'avenger' type. But slowly, Kakashi believed that they had at least managed to get him to open up a little more. Kakashi had had more than a few conversations with the boy regarding his goals, his relationships with others.

And he hoped. God, he hoped it would get through. He didn't want the kid to walk the path of blood and ash that he had. He almost wanted to ask Charlie how the kid would end up; would he be happy? Would he become as accomplished as he could one day be?

"Kakashi-sensei, what sorta mission are we doing today?" Naruto asked, breaking the older man from his musing as the squad entered the Hokage Tower. The main floor held the mission assignment center, their current destination.

The jounin gave the kid an eye smile. "I think a few D-ranks will do your body well, don't you agree?" he hums to himself, taking malicious pleasure as all three students rounded their shoulders in woe. He could almost _hear_ Naruto grinding his teeth.

In the brightly lit room, the Hokage sat behind the assignment desk, Iruka by his side. Naruto waved cheerily to the both of them, a wide grin on his face. "Give us something good, okay?!" he exclaimed. "Like a B-rank? Pretty please?!"

The Hokage smirked as Iruka's eyebrow twitched. "You're as vibrant as ever, Naruto-kun," the old man said kindly. "Let's see here... we have, babysitting the Daimyo's niece, picking vegetables for the Higurashis, sorting books for the library-"

"NO WAY!" Naruto shouted, shaking his head in firm denial.

Iruka's limited patience broke. "NARUTO! You will speak to Hokage-sama with the respect he deserves! The reason you aren't being assigned higher ranked-"

Naruto turned to his teammates. "So, guys, what do you think of tonkatsu ramen? I was having an argument with Teuchi-san the other day and-"

"-could be killed! You never know what kind of deadly- HEY!"

"-but _he_ said that pork chasu is really fatty and- what?" Naruto turned, along with the two teammates who had been listening to his ramen spiel intently.

The chuunin's face was an interesting shade of red. "WHY YOU-"

"I'm a ninja, dattebayo! I want a real mission! Not chores!" Naruto harrumped, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He refused to move for a D-rank mission. _Refused_.

Kakashi's amused grin was carefully concealed.

Iruka looked ready to burst a blood vessel, but the Hokage raised his withered hand. "It's fine, Iruka-sensei. Naruto-kun is a real ninja now, and he wants a real ninja mission."

The boy leaned forward onto his haunches, looking much more excited than before. "Does that mean-!"

"We'll give you a C-rank this time around. How's that? An escort mission, to the Land of Waves."

Naruto jumped to his feet, clenching his fist. "That's what I'm talking about! Who are we escorting- a princess? An important ambassador? A-"

"Hold on there, Naruto-kun," Sarutobi chuckled. "Tazuna-san," he called, raising his voice so that it could be heard into the hall, "come in, please! I've got your escort team."

A few moments passed, before an old, drunken, potbellied man stumbled into the room, blinking blearily at them. Then, his expression fell into one of distaste. "_This _is my escort team?"

Naruto turned to the Hokage, a protest already rising on his lips. "Hey, jii-chan! What's the big deal? We have to escort _this_ old dude?!"

Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose again. This... would be a long day.

* * *

Charlie woke up in control of her own body, thankfully.

She was in a hospital bed, though the walls around her were the same slate gray concrete as always. Her body felt stiff and painful, and she had a migraine that beat in her head like a drum. '_Fuck, dude!'_ she thought rather crassly, lifting her hand to her forehead to block out the fluorescent lights.

'_Minato, you're lucky you don't have a real body that I could strangle,'_ she said as memories floated back into her mind. Perhaps she had been conscious during that time, after all.

She could see it: Minato, charging forward and body snatching her. That dude, Takeru, beating him mercilessly, _drugging him_\- '_Oh, God,'_ she thought, bile rising dangerously in her throat.

There was a conveniently placed trashcan by her bedside, and she found herself retching into it, eyes burning. Her stomach curdled at the _memories _of- _why _did they-

**"You see why I didn't want you around?" **Minato finally spoke, and it made her headache even worse. His voice was softer, softer than she'd ever heard it.

Yeah. Yeah, she saw. But- but he- if only they _knew_-

**"That's the point. That they don't know. They _can't_ know. I was so close to-" **Frustration colored his voice. **"But I didn't. They no doubt are asking Inoichi-san about us, now. I think... I think we're in the clear."**

The redhead spat into the trashcan, arm trembling with the effort to keep herself up. She slowly lied back against the pillow, closing her eyes again. They were safe. For now, they were safe. '_Somewhere else...' _she thought, panic creeping up into her mind again. Despite the fact that she was _safe_, she didn't feel that way. '_I need to be...'_

* * *

They didn't speak for a while.

Like always, they didn't need many words.

He could read her stream of consciousness as easily as a book, and for some reason, she didn't really care about that now. She knew what kind of man he was. She knew what he strived for, what he valued. She knew his worth.

His arm was a heavy weight around her shoulders, but his side felt warm against hers.

"I wish I could bring you somewhere else," she said abruptly. Her voice was raw, and her throat painful.

Minato made a hum that said, '_go on, I'm listening_.'

"The pale expanse of yellow and white," Charlie clarified. "Tired of seeing it. Why can't we just meet in a coffee shop, or a library?" He must've been so sick of it.

"You've never complained about it before," the blond remarked mildly. "Why now?"

"Maybe I'm in the mood to complain." It was going to be a snap, but it came out as just... blunt. "Maybe I'm just tired. Aren't you?"

"You can lie down, if you're tired," he offered, stretching out his long legs.

He knew what she meant, but she took the opportunity to use his lap as her pillow anyway. He didn't turn to look at her, and so she set about studying the underside of his chin, the tanned skin of his throat. His fingers thread through her hair as his free hand undid the hair tie holding her braid together.

"It feels like everything is going wrong," she whispered, closing her eyes as another painful memory flashed in her mind. God, wasn't she being a spoiled brat though? She had no room to complain. Not after- not after-

Was pain the only thing this world knew? Hadn't it dealt her enough of it? Hadn't it dealt him enough of it? Why was she so _tired_-

"Could be worse," Minato hummed, interrupting her spiralling thoughts effortlessly. His smile was bareboned as he inclined his head to look at her. She glanced up just in time to see it. She wondered how, after all that had happened and how exhausted he looked, he could still have that shine in his eyes. "Still alive, aren't we?"

Her face fell, though there wasn't much there to begin with. "I don't know how we'll get through this situation. I've run it over countless times in my head, and I always draw blanks. I've planned for everything- _everything_\- but this... this is the part I can't predict. And if I die- then we both-"

His lips on hers were a shock. Yet another thing that brain of hers couldn't predict- somehow, he'd managed to surprise her. But there they were, soft, smooth like velvet. Hers were probably cracked and dry and-

"Sometimes, Charlie, I really think you think too much," he told her, stopping her thoughts again. His face was a hair's breadth away from her own, irises a kaleidoscope of color and soul. Breath mixed.

Before she could form another coherent thought, his hand moved to the back of her head, tangling into the tresses as though it belonged there, and he was kissing her again. The gentleness of a hummingbird, but still, an aching fire spread across her skin.

It was strange, to be fair. It was very seldom that her mind was completely silent, and yet- the buzzing static of an empty radio channel filled her ears. It was just the two of them, two pained lives intertwined in ardor. Her hand found his jaw, the same one she'd been tracing with her eyes, and her fingers followed it back to the hollow under his ear.

It lasted perhaps a minute or two, but it could've lasted hours for all she knew.

Minato pulled back slightly, hand migrating to her cheek as she gingerly rested on it. He had infected her with his tranquility. "Whatever happens next-_ whatever_ happens next," he told her, "I've got you. So just hold on for me, okay?"

And despite all of the messes they were in, despite the bitter fear in her heart, despite everything- a smile trickled up onto her lips. "Okay."


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Hi hi~~ I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. Thank u to everyone who read and reviewed. **

**Chapter 23**

"You did well."

Charlie stared balefully at the man, silently chewing on the granola bar in her hand. Her face no longer hurt- apparently, someone had healed her while she was unconscious- but her headache was the same as ever, amplified by the fact that the Grinch himself was standing right in front of her.

Danzou shot off a fake, good natured smile. "I suspect you have questions."

"Nope." She tossed the wrapper in the trashcan and reached for the fruit cup on her tray. A kind nurse had brought it to her some hours ago, but she only saw fit to eat now- just a little added irritation for the old man.

"No?" The elder raised his eyebrows.

She shrugged. "You didn't trust me. If I was in your position, I would hesitate to trust an outsider too." That was close to a lie- she was a much nicer person than he was. But she wanted to get in his good graces, at least a little.

He smiled again, and this time, she couldn't read it. "A mental aptitude test is required for all ANBU prospectives, along with the physical aptitude test. You passed both; congratulations."

"Isn't there another test?" she asked aloud, harkening back to when Minato had briefed her only a few days prior. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Danzou inclined his head. "Yes. That will be further down the line, when you are put in the field. For now, I would prefer to work on getting around your... impediment."

The last word was spoken distastefully, and Charlie's gaze turned hard as ice. '_I'll show you an_ impediment_, douchebag_.'

As though he had not noticed the effect of his words, Danzou carried on. "This is... admittedly, a unique situation," he continued. "But so long as you improve _quickly_, I have no problem facilitating the process. Mole?" He voiced the last word just a smidge louder, and with a swooshing sound, a figure clad in black was suddenly at his elbow. He wore a mask, and had short, straight black hair that barely brushed his nape.

He couldn't have been much taller than she was.

"This will be your training partner, when I can spare him," Danzou informed.

Despite her surprise, the redhead nodded at the silent figure. "Nice to meet you," she said.

Mole didn't say anything, but he did nod back.

"I have already informed him of your... training schedule. If all goes well, we'll make a ninja out of you by the end of the month." The old man turned on his heels, continuing towards the door. "Mole, you have until sundown for the report."

"Understood, Danzou-sama," Mole replied, voice a monotone.

The girl said nothing as the elder vacated the room, and she was left with the silent boy standing at her bedside. He didn't seem to know much what to do besides hover awkwardly.

Grimacing, she sat up, blanket falling around her hips, and realized she was in a paper gown. "Where are my clothes?"

"I do not know."

Charlie made a face again. "Right... I don't even know why I asked you," she mumbled. Hadn't her clothes been destroyed during that little _interrogation_?

Mole pulled a sealing scroll out of his pocket and knelt to the floor, unrolling it. "I will lend you clothes." He unsealed a clean set of ANBU garb, and handed the bundle to her.

They were undoubtedly fit for him and probably much too large, but she smiled anyway. "Do you have an actual name I can call you?" she asked, somewhat jokingly.

He turned to her, staring at her through the eyeholes of his mask. "No," he said. "I don't."

* * *

So far, the mission had been a... mitigated disaster.

Naruto winced down at his bandaged hand, pain zinging up his arm. When he'd heard that they were going on an escort mission, he'd been more than happy to get the hell out of the village limits. But as it turned out, Tazuna hadn't told them all that he should've. He could still feel the waves of _pissed_ rolling off of Kakashi with tidal force, even from his position all the way in the front of the group.

The blond was... eh, still pretty tickled pink about today, to be honest. The pain in his hand became his reminder that what he'd done in the face of the Demon Brothers would _never_ happen again. And now, now he was ready to prove it.

He was a great ninja. He would be an even greater ninja, too. ...Just as soon as he got the chance for some action.

"Let's rest here for now," came Kakashi's voice from the back of the group. Night was beginning to fall over the forest, the trees casting eerie shadows on the ground. "Sasuke-kun, you're on firewood. Naruto-kun, there's a stream a little further ahead- go catch fish. Sakura-chan, you're helping me set up."

Tazuna sat down on a conveniently placed log and pulled a flask from his breast pocket. How useful.

Naruto made a face, but unsealed his fishing net from his scroll and wandered down the dirt path. He'd gotten quite good at catching fish, even better than Charlie. Maybe it was his sheer dumb luck, but fish just tended to gravitate towards him.

He peeled his ears for the sounds of moving water, and about ten minutes from their temporary campsite, he found the stream. It was only to about his knees, but clear enough that he could see the dark shapes moving around beneath its surface. This would be a good hunt. He rolled up his pant legs and grabbed his net, wading out to the opposite end to tie it around a particularly craggy rock and then reversing back to the other side to repeat the motion. Then, he grabbed a kunai from his pouch and waited.

It only took five minutes to snare his first catch, a redbreast sunfish that was a little bigger than his hand. He unceremoniously removed its head and set it on the shore. A small smile rose- perhaps the day was looking up.

* * *

"I really don't know what to tell you, Mole," Charlie groaned, flat on the ground with pain radiating from her body. They were outside this day, and the sun beat down over her sweaty forehead. A few paces away, the ANBU, dressed in regular shinobi attire so as to not arouse suspicion, stared uncomprehendingly at her.

"We have only been sparring for two hours," the black-haired boy protested. He neared her, sandals silent on the grass.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Without a break. How many fights have you been in that lasted two _whole_ hours, dude?"

He didn't answer, examining her with dark eyes. He'd taken off his mask, which was a surprise to her, and they'd been training outside ever since. Perhaps he appreciated the recent, nicer turn in the weather. Then again, Mole hardly seemed like the type to have emotions. "You are holding your shoulder. Does it hurt?" he asked blandly.

She pulled her hand from her stump, smiling ruefully. "It's just sensitive," she mumbled. Her thoughts took a downward tone. "We've been training for days now, and I still can't figure out how to use chakra properly without it." She'd known it would be difficult to do techniques with only one half of the hand seal, but she couldn't even begin to morph her chakra correctly anymore. It was kind of depressing.

"It is difficult to use ninjutsu with only one hand, but not impossible, Mouse," the boy said. "If you are truly the prodigy they say you are, then you will figure it out."

Charlie grimaced. "Don't call me that out here. It's bad enough that _you_ don't have another name I can call you." She sat up, guiding her arm around her knees as she stared at him assessingly. "Is that supposed to be my cool code name? It's kind of insulting..."

He gave her a fake smile. "It is your code name, yes. Now, we will work on one-handed seals. Since you have a wind affinity, begin with bird."

She rolled her eyes, but did as he asked. "I already know what it's supposed to look like..."

"That is not the point of this exercise," Mole replied patiently. "The point is to allow your single hand to compensate for both hands. Do you know any ninjutsu already?"

"Just the standard Academy ones."

"The perhaps this will be easier. Wind release is focused on air circulation. Likewise, wind chakra has an airy, cutting energy to it. Hand seals are used to allocate and form chakra, so you will want to generate as much as possible with one hand to compensate for the loss of your left. For this exercise, please focus on your chakra."

Her lips flattened as her eyes closed. Mole was right; Minato's chakra, while it still had his calming edge, was almost hyperactive. She'd known that already. When she formed the bird seal, it jumped faster, spread wider. "Some shinobi use the dominant seal of their affinity to become more in touch with their chakra."

"I can get behind that," she said, opening her eyes.

Do you know any wind release techniques?" he asked as her hand fell into her lap.

"Nope."

If he were a _normal_ person, he would've sighed. Instead, Mole chugged right along. "We will begin with the E-rank Wind Release: Breakthrough. In this technique, your chakra expels and circulates the air around your mouth, creating a gust of sorts. It is used to push back opponents, or to catch falling comrades. There are only three seals: dog, horse, and bird." He demonstrated. "As wind release is not one of my specialties, I can not do it myself. But I will be able to correct you if you fail."

"Okay," she mumbled, slightly nervous. Her first ever true ninjutsu technique. '_I got this, right...?'_ she thought doubtfully, climbing to her feet.

**"Perhaps," **Minato teased. She gulped, both at the fact that he was watching her and that she would probably suck at this jutsu.

"First, don't focus on producing results. Just see how your chakra reacts when you do the seal progression," Mole suggested as she closed her eyes and centered herself.

_Dog. Horse. Bird._

Chakra fizzed in her chest, the center of her system, and bubbled up her throat, just as she'd intended it to. But it was weak, and as she focused on molding the energy the way she wanted it to go, the moment broke. She opened her eyes again. Mole was staring at her expectantly.

Her lips quirked up. "Y'know, you don't really look like a 'Mole' to me."

The boy blinked at the abrupt change in subject. "I do not understand how that is pertinent to-"

"I think I'll call you Sai. Okay?"

The boy had an expressionless look on his face, but he nodded anyway.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was... excited. Anticipatory. Yes, that was it. There was no way to convince him that he was nervous, or fearful. He was _excited_, goddamn it.

He wanted to fight that Zabuza character again. He wanted to win.

But first, he had to get to the top of the damn tree.

It pissed him off. Sakura and Naruto were already miles ahead of him- Sakura had always had good chakra control, but _Naruto_?

"I trained with Kakashi-sensei before this," the _dobe_ had explained, hours ago when he easily scaled the tree and hung lazily from one of the branches.

And now, Sasuke was on the ground, Sakura was inside spending her time on something else, and Naruto was trying to whistle with a blade of grass about twenty feet up.

The Uchiha dropped onto his back, breathing heavily and feeling frustrated. He had gotten ten feet up. Ten feet, and his focus slipped, or the tenuous hold he had on his chakra faded. It had been hours. He was exhausted, and hungry. And the stupid blond idiot was still there, being annoying and glancing down at him every-so-often. What was he trying to do, make fun of him?

"I'm waiting," Naruto sang, turning so he could dangle upside down. The bends of his knees gripped securely to the branch, and he smiled brightly.

"For what," Sasuke griped, glaring at him.

"For you to ask for help, of course." Naruto swung a little. "Kinda getting tired of sitting out here waiting on your ass."

The Uchiha deadpanned, but dutifully rose to his haunches. "Charlie would hit you for cursing," he replied instead.

With an effortlessness that Sasuke envied, the blond kicked out of the tree, flipping onto the ground and only stumbling slightly. He shot the dark-haired boy a glare. "Don't talk about Charlie. You haven't even been to see her since the hospital. And yet here I am, still talking to you." He rolled his eyes at the sky. "I should be inside, helping Tsunami-san peel potatoes. You really don't deserve it, -ttebayo."

Sasuke glanced away, properly chided. "Yeah, well," he muttered. "After- that day, I didn't think she'd _want_ to see me." He was feeling... well, a bit _guilty_ for his own motor mouth. Usually, he'd have it under control. But it had been such a _shock_, to see such a strong girl... reduced to _that_. He never realized that someone as sturdy as Charlie could look so small.

"You mean, after you ran your mouth?" Naruto laughed humorlessly. "Charlie ain't like that. But you're proving her wrong about you."

His head snapped up. "What?"

"She said you were nice, that you were a lonely person that just needed someone to lean on. That not many could truly understand or see your pain, but that you needed someone to give a shit. Not because you're an Uchiha, but because you're a person." His blue eyes looked darker now, the sky on a cloudy day. "She wanted us to be friends. _All _of us. That's why she always invited you over. She worried about what you ate, about how much sociali-socialzat- whatever, how much you interacted with other people. She worried about you. But you're being real nasty for avoiding her.

"To be honest with you, I haven't had a lot of time for her myself. But I see her as often as I can. I try to make up for the fact that you and even _sensei_ don't bother talking to her anymore." Naruto scratched the back of his head in an agitated manner, and gave a frustrated huff. "Ack, whatever. You'll do whatever you want. But- she deserves better, -ttebayo."

Sasuke clenched his fists. Fine. Naruto was right, at least this time. He felt a bit shameful. Despite how poorly he treated her sometimes, the redhead had always welcomed him with open arms, had sparred with him like an equal. Now, he didn't even know if her injury was healing, or what she was going to do now, or if she was eating right, or anything.

"You're right," the Uchiha finally said, and rolled his eyes at the blond's exaggerated gasp.

"What?" Naruto said.

"I'm not repeating myself," Sasuke snapped. "I'll go see her when we get back. Now, tell me how to do this stupid thing."

The blond smiled.

* * *

Charlie fell into her bed with a pained groan.

Her entire body ached, as Sai had repeatedly beat her into the ground. She was chakra exhausted, as she had worked with Wind Release: Breakthrough until the sun tucked behind the horizon. And she was mentally drained, as they had trained ceaselessly for the entire day. Sai hadn't even looked tired by the time they parted ways.

'_I wish Naru-chan was home to cheer me up,'_ she thought sadly, glancing towards their shared wall. She was pretty sure he was in the Land of Waves right now, fighting a Big Bad while she was stuck at home with Sai and his fake smiles.

**"Hey! I'm here too, you know," **Minato protested.

Yes, truly, she was all alone. Why didn't Sasuke come and visit with her anymore? Had she scared him off with the whole one-arm thing? Kakashi she could understand, but the little emo had wormed his way into her heart and-

**"Charlie, why are you ignoring me?" **Minato whined.

She just felt so... _withdrawn_. The Hokage wouldn't want to see her, either. He probably thought Danzou was programming her brain or something, which made her sick. She sort of knew what she was doing, damn it! And she was protecting Konoha, which was the plan from the very start.

**"I'll tell you how to do one-handed seals." **

Red curls bounced as her head snapped up. '_Oh, Minato, there you are, was wondering where you went.'_ She chuckled nervously.

**"I didn't go anywhere,"** he replied flatly. **"Are you going to stop avoiding me, now?"**

Heat bloomed on her cheeks. '_I wasn't avoiding you...'_ she thought sheepishly.

**"You were too," **Minato complained. **"For days." **

'_You know I can't avoid you, you're in my head!'_ Charlie protested weakly.

**"Is this because I kissed you? If you didn't like it, you could've just said so..."**

But that wouldn't make sense, because she _did_ like it, and he knew it. '_We're not gonna talk about it,'_ she thought firmly, and dug her head into her pillow. Her face was on fire; she'd always been a bit of a blusher, but it was never this bad, damn it.

She could all but feel him rolling his eyes. **"It's not really one of those things you don't talk about, Charlie," **he sighed out.

She felt a little bad. He'd been patient with her, and the truth was that she _had_ sort of been avoiding him since that day in the hospital. Not that one can really _avoid_ a person in one's head but, y'know, as much as she could.

But the truth was that she was never really good with feelings. She'd never really _liked_ anyone, not in that way at least. She'd certainly never kissed anyone before. It wasn't something she was used to, and- well, would a relationship really work out with a person who doesn't have a physical body?

She liked him though, liked as in like-liked, and was probably a bit too cowardly to admit it. Shouldn't that be a given, though? He was the hero of the Third War, a Hokage, and a damn good ninja. '_And all I have is my cutting wit,'_ she thought, pouting just a smidge. '_And my charming amputee status.'_

**"Are you going to come and speak to me like an adult, or will I have to drag you in here?" **Minato threatened, cutting through her thoughts.

_'You'll never take me alive-'_ she started, then thought better of it. What objective good would it do her to simply avoid the man? She could see how _that _would play out; lonelier than she was used to, especially now. Naruto had his team now, Kakashi was pissed at her, Sasuke... was probably pissed too. Who else could she talk to?

That was the thing about this world. She'd thought she was _fine_ with her loneliness in her own world, up there on her pedestal. But it was... unthinkable, now. As much as she'd worked to shove others away in the past, she... maybe she'd really _hated_ being alone. And maybe it only took starting from scratch again to realize it.

* * *

Charlie gave him a flat look. "Cut it out, you look dopey." She flipped her long braid over her shoulder, leaning her weight on one hip as though frustrated when in actuality she was so nervous she could spit.

Minato paused with his wide, close-eyed smile on his face. He popped one eye open. "Wh- _dopey?_" He leaned up onto his elbows from where he was reclined on the ground, and frowned at her.

"Yeah. Dopey." She jutted her chin out petulantly. Awkwardness squirmed in her chest as she shifted on her feet.

The blond shrugged. "I'm just glad you're not ignoring me anymore," he replied, smirking at the grimace that flashed across her face. "Are you going to come sit, or are you going to hover over there?"

She compromised by sitting where she was, a few good yards away. The man sighed. "If it really makes you feel that weird, we don't have to-"

"We do too," she countered instantly, as much as she regretted it. It was never supposed to be awkward between the two of them. This was just... plain weird. "You... have to admit that you kind of upset the balance, y'know," she added hesitantly.

"I suppose I did," he acquiesced, tilting his head back to stare upwards. "Perhaps I was so focused on trying to get you out of your own head that it was the only thing that came to mind. I don't regret it, though." He sent her one of those easy, reassuring smiles- the kind he was good at. "Do you?"

She picked at the rubber on her Converse. "I dunno. I-I don't think so? I'm not- not very good at recognizing my own emotions, so..." she trailed off, face flushing.

"That would be because you have so many of them at once," he offered, still smiling. "If you slowed down a little, it would be easier to process."

Charlie scowled at him. "I can't help how I feel!" '_Jerk.'_

"I'm not being a jerk, I'm being truthful," Minato returned easily. He stood, marched over, and sat just in front of her. "And you haven't been meditating lately either, which isn't helping." His knee brushed hers, which also wasn't helping.

"I should start paying you for all the unsolicited medical advice," she griped, staring at the space beyond his shoulder.

"No, but you could start using it," he mumbled. "Look, I wanted to do an experiment," he added, voice slightly louder.

Her ears pricked at the word 'experiment', and she hesitantly glanced at his face. "Experiment?" she parroted.

Minato quirked his lips. "How did I know the word 'experiment' would catch your attention...?" he wondered teasingly, and out of habit, she reached out to pinch his cheek.

Quick as a flash (ha, ha), his hand caught her own, flattening it against the warm skin of his cheek. She blinked in surprise. "Does this... feel real to you?"

The redhead frowned. "Um... yes?" She could feel the heat of his palm, the protrusion of his cheekbone. Muscle rippled beneath her palm as he smiled.

Long fingers moved down to hold her wrist. He navigated her hand to her own cheek. "And this?"

Her cheek puffed under her hand as she gave him an exasperated look. "...Yes?"

"And this?" His hand replaced her own, and she let hers fall useless in her lap. His hand was big, solid against her skin. How could someone feel warm and... alive, when they, y'know, weren't?

A blush crossed the bridge of her nose. "Yes," she mumbled.

"I don't have an answer for why I feel real to you, or why you feel real to me," he said quietly, giving a rueful smile. "I don't know why I feel warm, or why I can even _feel_ at all. But what I _do _know, is that when I do _this-_" He bent forward, lips falling against hers effortlessly.

Blood rushed to the surface of her face as her heart thumped in her chest. Minato pulled back just enough, eyes half-lidded as he gave her a small smile. "You do _that_. And I also know that even though none of this should be possible, it's healing _both_ of us."

He leaned back into her again, and she forgot what there was to feel awkward about.

Loneliness. An uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability mixing with embarassment and mediocrity. Standing on a pillar of sand, wondering just how strongly it will stand against a storm. The world's eyes on your back even as they turn theirs.

But this- this was a feeling of support, warmth blooming in her chest. Solidarity, maybe? Is that what it's called? An extended hand in the dark, maybe, or a kind smile amongst a crowd of blank faces. Perhaps it was just the way he supported her head in his palm, like she was something precious, like he saw her weakness and was by her side anyway.

Charlie would make a list of these emotions, every single one. She would remember these things, the way he made her feel, the way his absence made her feel. She wanted to know herself just as much as she wanted to know him.

"Ever the scientist," Minato said against the skin of her cheek. Though he didn't sound put out.

She grinned, turning just in time to swipe another kiss from him. "You know me so well."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Happy one year anniversary of ALC! Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me so far this past year. Over 150 reviews, 350 favorites, and 500 follows later, and we're still going strong. Since there were a few questions I wanted to address from recent reviews, I've answered a few of them down below. Thanks again y'all, and enjoy :)**

**Chapter 24**

"I'm exhausted," Sakura complained, back slumped as the four-man-squad stumbled their way into the village. At the admission booth, the two bored-looking chuunin openly laughed at her.

"First time outside the village, girlie?" Kotatsu, or whatever the hell his name was, taunted.

The pinkette gave him a baleful glare as they passed them. Beside her, Naruto, _supremely energetic_ Naruto, gave her a cheery smile as he laced his fingers behind his head. He was covered in grime and smelled like the many fish he'd caught during their time on the trail, and she just _had_ to glare at him, too.

To be honest, she herself was smelling pretty ripe too. The only streams they'd passed were _far_ too dirty to bathe in, at least by her standards, and they'd traveled two days on foot just to get back.

Not to mention, Sasuke was still injured. It was a miracle he'd gotten back home in one piece, and he looked dangerously close to passing out despite how well he held himself.

"Go to the hospital, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi ordered, as if reading her mind. "The rest of us will do the mission report. I'll collect your pay and give it to you tomorrow."

The Uchiha tsk'ed, but branched off from the group, muttering under his breath. Sakura sighed; he'd been in a bad mood for days. Well, he was... admittedly, usually in a bad mood. But this was pretty bad. She wondered if anything happened...

**"CHA! Let me find out someone hurt my Sasuke-kun's feelings! I'LL KILL THEM."**

"Err... Sakura?" Naruto and Kakashi were looking over their shoulders, giving her weird looks. Realizing she'd been staring off at where Sasuke'd gone with an evil look on her face, Sakura shook her head and jogged to catch up with them.

"Anyway..." the blond boy intoned as she rejoined them at his side. "I was thinking that we should pay Charlie a visit. It's been a while, I'm sure she misses us," he said.

Kakashi hummed. "She may not be home," he hedged.

Sakura glanced towards her feet. She didn't really want to go see Charlie. The two of them had never really hung out- in fact, she used to kind of dislike her for hanging out with Sasuke more than her. But she felt absolutely awful for virtually stealing her spot on the team, and for what had happened to her arm. "I dunno, Naruto," she mumbled, "I might just go home. I'm not really in any shape to be hanging out with anyone right now." She laughed offhandedly.

The blond slumped. "Maybe next week then," he grumbled to himself.

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. She really sort of disliked letting Naruto down. Was that weird? She didn't like him at all, pretty much, but she still felt bad. He was a hardworking person, and not as dumb as he looked, despite what everyone said. He'd even managed to get her to laugh once or twice. And even though he was kind of gross (which all boys besides Sasuke were, to be clear), he still had something about him... a radiating light.

As they neared the Hokage Tower, Sakura abruptly sighed. "Y'know what, fine," she said, mostly to herself. Naruto glanced at her, blue eyes swimming in hope. "I'll go with you. But I'm not staying long," she insisted.

Naruto gave her a wide, toothy grin. "Sweet!"

They debriefed the Hokage on their mess of a mission, and received their pay- much, much higher than what she'd expected, given the increase in rank. She was kind of proud of that- what other genin could say that they had an A rank on their record? _None!_

Then, Naruto and Sakura headed towards his and Charlie's apartment complex. It was rather late in the evening, and so she hoped that meant that the workaholic would be home.

To make conversation, she said, "So, how's Charlie-chan been these days?"

"Dunno. She's... private like that," Naruto replied. "It's kinda hard to get a read on her. I mean..." he sighed, giving her a sideways glance. "Being a ninja was... _is_ really important to her. I... don't think she's taking what happened very good."

"Very _well_," she absentmindedly corrected. "Yeah, I guess I can understand that." Top kunoichi. Charlie had been so talented and smart in their class- leagues ahead of Sakura, who'd been relegated to second place.

Naruto paused in his steps as the apartment building came into view. He appeared lost in thought, which was strange because she didn't even know that he _thought_ at all. "Sakura... if you were a person like Charlie, would you really stop being a ninja? Even if the Hokage himself told you to?"

The pinkette, too, came to a stop. She watched him for a minute, before murmuring, "No... No, I don't think I would."

Naruto swallowed. The two of them climbed the rickety steps to the top floor, and Naruto rapped on the door. "Charlie, it's me and Sakura," he called.

There was a thud, and a muted curse. "H-Hold on," Charlie's voice filtered through the door. They heard uncoordinated stumbling to the door, before it flung wide open.

Charlie grinned sheepishly at the two of them. "Come on in. Sorry, I was just sleeping." Indeed, the apartment was completely dark. She was dressed in a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants, hair damp as though she'd had a shower not long ago. She looked... good. Not as good as she had _before_, but better. Her skin had more vibrancy, and her eyes held more shine in them than before. The smile she gave them was real.

The redhead turned on the lights in the hallway and living room, and sat on the coffee table while the two of them took the couch. "You both look like someone ate you, threw you up, and then ate you again," she said, grimacing at their sorry states.

Sakura winced. She knew she should've gone straight home. But Naruto was unrepentant. "You wouldn't _believe_ the mission we just had," Naruto exclaimed excitedly, all but bouncing in his seat. He then winced, as if the thought just occurred to him that perhaps now _was not _the time to talk about missions.

Charlie didn't seem to notice, though. In fact, her hazel eyes glimmered with mirth. "Well, go on then," she urged.

"SO we only got, like, an hour outside of the village, but then these water dudes-"

Sakura sighed loudly. "Naruto, you're starting in the middle," she grouched. "Tell her about how you complained to Hokage-sama."

"OH!" Naruto nodded. "So we were all sick of chores so we asked the old man if we could have an actual mission. And we got a C rank escort mission to the Land of Waves! But we had to escort this old drunk dude and he called me short."

Charlie smiled. "Well, you are pretty short."

Naruto glared at her. "_Anyway_, we were ambushed by these two dudes from Kiri who jumped out of a puddle. Kaka-sensei let _us _take care of it, and then Tazuna- the old dude- fessed up and said that he couldn't afford an A rank, but that's what it was.

"And so then Kaka-sensei wanted to go back but then Sakura said _no_, and so we kept going. When we were closer to the Land of Waves, this cow dude named Zabuza attacked us and Kaka-sensei beat him up! But then this hunter-nin that wasn't actually a hunter-nin named Haku came and got him. Then we went to Tazuna's house and they finished the bridge but then Zabuza and Haku tried to attack us. Sasuke awakened his Sharingan and I... I dunno, got really mad at Haku."

Naruto paused, eyes flitting downward. "And then afterward, Kakashi-sensei went to go finish off Zabuza, but Haku moved in front of his Chi-Chi-"

"Chidori," Charlie supplied.

"Yeah, Chidori. And it went straight through his chest. Haku died, and Zabuza acted like he didn't care, but I knew he did. And we were just about to be fine, but then Gato showed up with a bunch of dudes to try to beat us. Zabuza took care of all of 'em, but then... he died too. Then we went home. They named the bridge, 'The Great Naruto Bridge', though, so."

Sakura suppressed a sigh. He'd ran through the story going a mile a minute, but she supposed he'd hit all the main points.

The redhead smiled gently. "And how are the two of you doing now, then? Are you both okay?"

The two of them nodded. "Yeah, Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke are okay too, but Sasuke had to go to the hospital 'cause he got beat up pretty bad, -ttebayo."

"Will _he_ be okay?" Charlie asked, worry creasing her forehead. Instinctually, Sakura stiffened; what business of _hers_ was it to know how Sasuke-kun was doing?! But she pushed it down. Charlie wasn't like that. If she liked Sasuke-kun like that... if she did...

As much as it hurt to think about, if Charlie liked Sasuke, Sakura didn't doubt that she'd have him already. Honestly, Charlie was everything that Sakura _wasn't_. She was way smarter than her, quieter, calmer, stronger, better with her words. Pretty, in a weird sort of way. _She_ seemed like the type Sasuke would go after, if he hadn't already.

"Yeah, he's fine. He was just being a bit of a bas- rude person on the way back," Naruto grumbled.

The pinkette rose to her feet as the conversation dwindled. She'd really just come to make sure Charlie was okay, and now that she'd regained her good cheer, well... Sakura was content not to worry anymore. Plus, her previous revelation was causing her stomach to churn. "I'm gonna get going," she said as warm hazel eyes landed on her. "I gotta wash up and get to bed, I'm exhausted."

The redhead blinked at her, but nodded. "I'll walk you out," she said, getting to her feet soundlessly. The two of them migrated to the door, out of Naruto's hearing range. Charlie gave her that same gentle smile she always had. "You did a good job. I'm glad you all are back safe."

Sakura bobbed her head. "I'm happy you're doing better," she offered quietly as she opened the door and stepped out.

"Oh, and Sakura-chan?" Charlie added, eyes seeming to gleam in the lowlight.

Sakura swallowed. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for stopping by. You... _really_ don't have anything to worry about, okay?"

The pinkette flushed as embarrassment rose like a tidal wave. "Goodnight, Charlie-chan!" she called, turning on her heel and speedwalking towards the staircase. The door to Charlie's apartment closed quietly, and only then did she catch her breath. A small, wobbly smile formed on her lips.

* * *

The redhead returned to the living room and watched in great humor as Naruto's head bobbed. He looked dangerously close to falling asleep, despite how much energy he seemed to give off. '_I guess even human powerhouses need to sleep sometimes, eh?'_ she thought.

"Naru-chan," she said. The boy snapped to attention. "What did you mean, when you said that you got really mad? On the bridge?"

He shifted uneasily, eyes flickering to the side. "It's hard to explain," he hedged. "When Haku... hurt Sasuke, it really looked like he was d-dead. I really thought- and I just got so _mad_, Charlie, it was like I couldn't control it. Then, some sort of orange chakra surrounded me. It wasn't _mine,_ but it was coming from _me_. And I just- I really wanted to _kill _him. I've never wanted anything so badly in my life."

Charlie sat down next to him and grabbed his hand in hers. "Do you think it was the fox?" she asked.

The blond gasped. "You... know about that?"

'_Ah, right, I was losing my arm the night he found out for himself,' _Charlie thought with a deadpan. "The Hokage told me not too long ago," she made up on the spot. "Don't worry, I don't care. It doesn't make you any less you."

Naruto seemed to accept it, even giving her a small smile. "I-If it was the fox... that chakra was _evil_, Charlie," he muttered. "Do I really have something like _that_ inside me?" His head drooped sadly.

The girl felt her heart break a little. "The fox _isn't_ you, Naruto, you know that," she reminded him sternly. "It seems like he felt your anger and used it to take control of you, but it _wasn't _you."

"Even if it wasn't," Naruto spat, "it won't matter if it takes control of me. I don't _want_ its power. Am I really that weak? How can I- how could I stop it, if it did something like that?"

Charlie frowned, gripping his hand tighter. There was no easy way to convince him that Kurama wasn't all bad, but if they just talked to each other sooner, became friends sooner, then perhaps they wouldn't be so SOL later on. "Naru-chan, have you ever, y'know, _talked _to the fox?"

"Of course not!" He looked at her like she was crazy.

"I'm- gonna be honest with you, now," she mumbled. "Maybe this makes me sound insane, but- it would be very difficult for you to control him. The fox has incredible amounts of power- it's one of the reasons you have so much chakra and energy. And all of that energy, being cooped up into such a small boy? I mean... wouldn't you be angry too? Wouldn't you want to be free?"

"It's a _demon_, Charlie, it killed a bunch of people!" Naruto said, hand clenching in hers. "What are you trying to say?"

Amber eyes glinted as she reached up and grabbed his chin, forcefully turning him to face her. "I'm _saying_ that it would be much easier to try to work out an agreement with him than to try to repress him more. I'm not denying that he's got a lot of malevolent energy, or that he killed people, or that he's probably the most dangerous creature to try to reason with, but- I dunno." She cut off, looking away. "He's gotta be lonely, stuck in there all by himself."

Naruto winced. "Even if I wanted to, I have no idea how to," he muttered.

"It's okay, Naruto," she soothed. "Look, it's just me thinking out loud. You have all the right in the world to ignore me."

"But you're never wrong," the boy pointed out sulkily. "If you say that I should, then-"

She pinched his cheek. "While that's probably true, it's still your choice. I just don't want to see you torture yourself, y'know?" Standing, she made her way to the kitchen, wincing as her body ached. Sai was a slave driver. "I bet you're hungry," she added. "I made stew earlier, let me heat some up for you."

Naruto looked at her with stars in his eyes, previous moping quiet forgotten. "Really?!"

"Really." '_God, what was I worried about? This kid bounces back like a rubber band.'_

She grabbed the bowl she'd premade for him and set it in the microwave, leaning her hip against the oven to wait. "Ne, Charlie?" Naruto voiced, coming towards the counter that separated the two rooms. "I was wonderin'... are you, y'know, okay?"

The girl glanced over in time to see his sky blue eyes wide and beseeching. Sweat built on the back of her neck; she was always weak to that look. It reminded her evermore of how young he truly was, and how much she actually had hated him being outside of the village. "I'm fine, why?" she asked.

He scuffed his shoe on the floor. "Well, 'cause, y'know... have you thought about what you're gonna do now?"

Charlie smiled gingerly. "That's not something you need to worry about, Naru-chan," she told him softly. "I've got it squared away. I know what I'm going to do, and I'm- I'm as happy as I can be, given what's happened."

To her surprise, the little ball of joy frowned at her. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Act like that. Like you're not somebody who needs to be worried about," he grumbled. "I'm not a little kid, y'know, we're the same age. I dunno why you always gotta go off and handle stuff on your own."

The microwave beeped, saving her from replying. She pulled down the bowl and set it in front of him, steam curling in the air and heating her face. It was hard to explain to Naruto why he didn't need to worry about her. For him, she was another twelve-year-old. But she wasn't- she was a full grown adult, who happened to have someone she couldn't _help_ but confide in.

"Well, I'm used to it," she finally began. "Beyond that, I think you have enough to deal with than to worry about my problems. But for the record..." She ruffled his hair playfully, and grinned. "If I ever _do_ need a shoulder to cry on, you'll be there- won't you?"

Naruto huffed in annoyance, but gave her a small smile. "Yeah."

"And I'll be there for you. Obviously."

"Obviously," he echoed.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke sighed heavily.

He had only needed to spend the evening in the hospital- they'd rather swiftly healed him, and all he'd had to deal with after was a bit of latent chakra exhaustion, a devil of a headache, and a stiff body.

But the real headache came later- the next day, actually. _God, did he hate apologizing_.

He was an Uchiha! Uchiha didn't make mistakes, and if they did, they simply shoved it onto another person's lap and moved on. They never apologized for it. But here he was, standing outside Shimizu Charlie's apartment, about to do just that.

It was even more sad that anxiety was beginning to bloom in his chest. Uchiha didn't get _nervous_, either. But this time, he couldn't pretend it was excitement- he was damn nervous. What if she didn't forgive him? What if she'd turned into some kind of ghost, the kind that he would've turned into if he'd gotten the same injury? Hell, what if she didn't even want to see him?

'_Tch, this is annoying_,' he thought to himself. Stupid, that he was standing outside some girl's house and actually being nervous about it. But... well, if he's honest, she wasn't just 'some girl'. They were training buddies in the Academy. She was virtually his equal back then. And she'd never harrassed him- or at least, not in the way the other girls in the class did.

Maybe that was just him putting her on a pedestal, but... well, she really seemed like perfect ninja material. Almost on par with himself. And she didn't treat him like a charity case, or like a heartthrob. She just treated him like him. She looked at him as if she knew him.

And now, he was too scared to even talk to her. What a wuss he'd become.

Shaking his head, Sasuke rapped firmly on the door, peeling his ears to listen for any clattering on the other end. There wasn't any, and so he knocked again, and waited. Still nothing. He tried once more before deciding that she probably wasn't home.

'_Isn't that a little weird, though?' _he thought to himself, shoving his hands in his pockets and feeling admittedly relieved. '_I guess it's almost noon, but- where would she have to go?_' He wondered if she had a new job, or if maybe she'd joined the Corps.

He made a face. '_I... don't think she'd join the Corps.'_ Her talent would be wasted there, surely she knew that already. So then... what? '_Do I... ask Naruto?'_ he glanced back at the door right next to Charlie's, and grimaced. Hell no, would he make a visit to that kid's house just to ask about Charlie. That would certainly ruin his image.

'_Guess I'll go train,'_ he thought, resigning himself to visit her later- perhaps in the evening, when she should be home.

* * *

"This _sucks_," Charlie whined, cracking her back as it throbbed. Sai had just kicked her into a tree, and damn, did it _hurt_.

Sai gave a frown. "Sorry," he said.

She smiled a little, rejoining him towards the center of the training grounds. They had been training together for almost a week now, and already she could see a marked improvement. See, while Sai was helping her regain her physical strength and her ninjutsu, Charlie was helping him pass as a person.

It had all started their second day of training.

_"Sai, please stop that," Charlie sighed out, rising to her feet after being flattened (once again). _

_"Stop what?" the black-haired boy asked. _

_She gestured broadly at his face. "_That_. That expression. It looks so... contrived."_

_"I don't understand," he replied flatly, face smoothing out from the fake frown he'd given._

_"If you can't make a genuine expression of sadness or happiness, you shouldn't make an expression at all," Charlie told him bluntly. His moony-eyed blink caused her to continue. "Whenever you make a face like that, you only turn down your mouth muscles. You don't move your eyes or your eyebrows. When you smile, you don't crease your eyes or lift your eyebrows. It's even worse than if you just kept your face neutral."_

_To her abundant surprise, Sai pulled a notepad from his back pocket and began to write. "Please continue," he said._

_She chuckled. "You want me to _teach_ you how to fool people?"_

_"Yes," Sai replied evenly. She squinted searchingly at him; she couldn't decide if he truly wanted to rediscover human emotion, or if he just wanted to use the information to properly blend in._

_A deep sigh through her nose. "Sai..." she began hesitantly. "If I try to teach you how to act like a normal person, you have to promise to try to feel like one, too." She knew he had those emotions deep within him, but she also knew that he had been broken a long time ago. He would never be the person he could've been, had Danzou not plucked him up as a child. But she could damn well try to make him so._

_Sai's pale hand froze in the middle of writing. "I am afraid I don't understand how to," he told her._

_"You'll get it," she promised him. "But you have to promise me first. Pinkie promise." She approached him, holding out her little finger. When he made no move, she sighed again. "You wrap your finger around mine. If either of us breaks the pinkie promise, they have to break their pinkie. Very painful."_

_"Actually, there are numerous other bones that, when broken, emit-"_

_"Just do it, Sai."_

_He did it._

And that was how it became that Charlie was teaching him how to be a human again.

"Good, Sai," she told him. "But I'm upset with the situation, not you. Only say sorry if the person looks genuinely upset with you. Right now, I'm just complaining because I'm tired."

As always, he wrote her words down on his notepad. "Okay. We will move on to the next lesson of the day," he said eventually, stowing the pen and paper away.

Charlie tilted her head. "Aren't we trying to-"

"While your fitness is important, there is more to being a member of this organization than being physically strong. Follow me." Sai turned on his heel, and all but disappeared. Cursing, Charlie boosted chakra to her feet and followed the fast-moving blur as they took to the rooftops. This must've been how ANBU were everywhere at once; they didn't know how to take the time to walk.

A mere minute later, they were halfway across the village. Sai hopped down right in front of the ANBU headquarters, and the redhead followed suit, lips in a firm line. The black-haired boy led her into the building, footsteps silent on linoleum.

"Where are you leading me, Mole?" she said, exhaustion leaking into her tone.

"It is not normal practice for people in this organization to be unaware of the actual art of assassination," Sai said in a monotone as the two began to scale the stairs. "However, as you are a special case, I have been given clearance to train you. You are a... quick study, yes?"

They emerged on the same floor she'd been on just a few days prior, the one where she'd been knocked out on. Her fingers tingled as anxiety swelled in her chest; he wasn't going to... _try _anything, was he? "I have an eidetic memory," she explained shortly. "I only need to be shown once."

"Excellent." Sai led her into the empty gym. It smelled like disinfectants, and she wondered just how often they had to mop up the blood that spilled here. The black-haired boy wordlessly made a set of four clones, all with the same blank expression as he had.

"You're going to make me kill you?" Charlie blurted, finally having figured out the kid's plan.

Sai turned, giving her a small smile. "First, I am going to kill me. You are going to watch. Then, you are going to copy."

'_Egh,'_ she thought. '_So gross...'_

She supposed that it was what she'd signed up for.

"There are a few key points which are vulnerable on the human body- areas such as the throat, groin, instep, and anywhere on the face. These can be exploited during a fight. There are also a few areas which one should target when going for the kill. Main arteries such as the carotid on the throat, as well as the lateral circumflex on the thighs, can result in death in minutes or less." He gestured on the first clone where they were.

Charlie stopped him. "I'm aware of human anatomy, Sai," she chuckled. "I read a whole book about it. Just show me what your most common techniques are."

Sai blinked, accepting the information. "Usually, clean-up is an issue, so we try not to get too much blood everywhere." He explained it casually, as though talking about the dango stand down the street, and a chill crawled up her spine.

She wondered if she could get Sai back to a somewhat-normal life. If she could help him _feel_ again.

"My preferred method of execution is poisoning," Sai said, which surprised her greatly. "It is easy to transport the body to a sealing scroll and leave. Some ANBU prefer more graphic ways. What you must be, however, is subtle."

And just like that, black ink spilled from the first clone. It fell to its knees, then dissolved into a black pool at Sai's feet. In his pale hand, Sai loosely gripped a kunai. Charlie swallowed; she hadn't even seen him move. "Silence. Speed. Your target cannot have the time to call out, or even notice your existence," the black-haired boy said quietly.

The redhead didn't say anything.

"That is how many ANBU kill their targets. _I, _on the other hand..." He pulled a single senbon from his pouch. It looked just like any other senbon, but if what he'd said was true, he had probably coated it in poison. "Colorless, odorless, and effective even through simple touch. And it works, even from a distance. For educational purposes, I will show you what this particular poison does."

To her surprise, he jammed it into his own forearm. She watched with widened eyes as the area around the needle quickly turned a darkened purple color. "This particular poison causes necrosis of the area in seconds. As I've already repeatedly exposed my self, it cannot kill me. However..." No pain registered on his face as he took a syringe from the same pouch and injected himself with the antidote. "I would still like the use of my arm."

"Is that the only poison you use?" the redhead wondered. It looked kind of... _gross_. The bruising faded around the edges, and recedes as fast as it had come. How had an antidote brought the tissue back to life? '_Anime physics..._'

"It is the most effective. It would take over a regular person in a little over a minute. It is virtually the only poison I use for assassinations."

He moved to the next clone. "Some ANBU have enough medical training to form chakra scalpels and kill that way." Blue chakra flowed steadily past his fingers, creating a sharpened point. He cleanly sliced through the clone's throat. To her surprise, its skin remained intact- and yet it fell to its knees and perished anyway.

"Chakra scalpels do not leave open wounds, and are quite a clean way of killing someone. Best not to use in a real fight, though, as they're quite hard to maintain." The chakra flickered from his hands.

"Every ANBU has their own reasoning for whatever they choose to do, but these are quite popular methods. Now, kindly repeat what I did on the next two clones." His lips curled up as he tried at a smile.

Charlie took a deep breath, and pulled out her kunai.

* * *

**Lyrigami: Sai's brother is unfortunately already dead at this point :( I can't answer as to whether or not the 3rd will die during the chuunin exams, but I do intend for mama Tsunade to make her appearance as scheduled. Thanks for your continued support!**

**lullabydono: Thank you so much for your compliments! To answer your question, Charlie isn't in ROOT- just ANBU. Danzou knows that trying to make her 'disappear' wouldn't work out well for him as she and the Hokage are much too close. That being said, I like to think that Danzou is sort of the overseer of most ANBU-related tasks, including their aptitude tests. ANBU of course answer primarily to the Hokage, but beyond sending them on missions and enlisting them as his security detail, at least in this story he has less to do with them and their training. **

**EriesAston: I feel you hardcore regarding slowburns. I love them. Tangentially, I have to say though that even though this story is rated M, I'm a little leery about including any sort of 'mature' scenes in the main sequence of the story. I'm not opposed to writing them though, so I guess I will leave it to the reviewers to decide what everyone wants to see. **


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Howdy! Double update. Stay hydrated my friends xoxo**

**Chapter 25**

Sasuke gritted his teeth together, fists clenching as he hid the lower portion of his body behind the six-foot-tall fence separating training grounds 8 from the dirt path.

He had suppressed his chakra as best he could, but he could tell that Charlie's new dark-haired _friend_ had sensed him. He wondered if the girl had too. He wondered if she cared.

Because he had stopped by her apartment at least five times since they'd arrived back in the village, and she'd never answered the door. She had always been seemingly out, and according to Naruto, she was usually scarce in the evening times too. Was this why? Why was she training with this... _random guy_?

The Uchiha didn't recognize him, that was for damn sure, and there was no way he wouldn't have noticed a kid like that in the Academy. He wore dark, plain clothes, and he had minimal expression on his face as he sparred with the red-headed girl. He was quick, quicker than Sasuke, and _precise_ too- Charlie was getting her ass handed to her, but she had that feral smile on her lips that she wore sometimes when she was having fun.

When had he begun to notice stuff like that?

She looked good. Genuinely good. Healthy, happy, and... _determined, _despite how uprooting her injury was. He knew she wasn't the time to give up, he just _knew_ it, but then what was she training so hard for? Just to do D and C ranks?

Dark eyes narrowed. That didn't sound like her at all.

His inane jealousy turned to suspicion as he kept looking at her new, ghostly pale companion. He wanted to speak with him. He wanted to know why he was tearing his friend away from all of them, and where she'd met him.

Certainly not in the Genin Corps, with moves like that.

So as soon as their spar abated, Sasuke made his presence known by strolling nonchalantly into the clearing. He was pleased to see the small grin that rose on her freckled face as she greeted him with a wave. Her hazel gaze was as warm as usual. "Hey, Charlie," he said, the words coming easily. This wasn't the time to apologize for his words, and so it was just like every other time before.

"Hiya, Sasuke. Come to join us? Haven't seen you in a while," she said, putting her gloved hand on her hip. She nodded at the pale boy beside her. "This is Sai, we're training buddies. Say 'hi', Sai," she urged.

The kid turned and gave Sasuke the fakest smile he'd seen in his life. "Hello, Uchiha Sasuke," he greeted in a monotonous voice.

Sasuke repressed the urge to sneer. 'This _is the guy she chooses to train with?'_ What the hell did he bring to the table? Certainly not a personality.

"Sasuke here was my training buddy before I lost my arm. They've been out of the village for a while and we haven't met up in a bit. Do you mind if he sticks around?"

Sai blinked blankly. "Your training, Charlie-san-"

"-Will be _fine _for a half hour. Besides, I've been chopping at the bit to spar with this kid again." Charlie waved a dismissive hand.

"I want to spar with _Sai_ first," Sasuke blurted, surprising himself. The urge to hand this guy's ass to him was too strong to ignore, especially when Charlie's expression turned hesitant.

Sai merely shrugged. "Very well."

They faced off, Charlie leaning against a faraway tree with her eyes rolling every few minutes.

Sai pulled a tantou from the sheath at his back, Sasuke grabbed a kunai, and off they went. Sai was very fast- _too _fast- and his moves were almost elegant. He didn't seem to be holding back, but he didn't seem to be going too hard on him either. The question of his intentions disappeared as he drew first blood and a narrow cut appeared on Sasuke's upper arm.

The Uchiha scowled and jumped backwards, forcing chakra to his eyes and activating his Sharingan. It was still a new sort of feeling; it had been easier to activate after the Land of Waves mission, but it took longer than he wanted it to, and so he barely avoided the harsh kick Sai was leveling at his neck.

Charlie 'ooh'ed and clapped appropriately as Sasuke felt the boy's chilling chakra become visible to him. He wondered if she was genuinely surprised that he'd awoken his Sharingan, or if that was just another thing she already knew.

The two boys' battle sped up until Charlie stopped focusing on them and started plucking grass from the dirt. Sai was as slippery as an eel, but he wasn't that physically strong, and Sasuke was able to kick him into a nearby tree in a minute or two.

Sai righted himself in midair and landed against the tree feet-first, the blue hum of chakra buzzing beneath his soles. It annoyed him that the kid was already so used to using chakra like that, when _he _had only just learned. Just where did she find this guy, anyway?

Their blades met, sparks flying and crimson clashing with dead black. Sasuke pushed down the icy shudder that wanted to creep down his back; something was _off_ with this guy, seriously. He pushed him back and faked left, before swiping his feet from under him. Sai lashed out with his sword, but Sasuke could see the exact place that would knock it from his hand, and kicked it. The blade went flying.

Sasuke was on the boy in an instant, his kunai at his throat as the boy simply stared at him. "I win," he proclaimed, pleased with himself.

"Interesting," Sai hummed, though he truly didn't look the least bit interested. "The Sharingan can best me in a taijutsu spar. I will remember this for the future."

Sasuke frowned, but shook off the ominous tone. Charlie approached with a mild grin, and he deactivated his eyes. "Sai, that makes it sound like you're going to try to fight him again. Just say, 'Congrats' and move on."

"Okay," Sai replied, but his dark gaze never left the Uchiha.

Sasuke got up off of him, and Charlie grinned as she slung her arm around his shoulders. "Still wanna fight, pal?" Her hazel eyes gleamed.

The boy smirked.

* * *

Danzou let a small hum of satisfaction out as he closed the manilla file. So far, things were going... better than expected. And _this _had to be the best news yet.

"Danzou-sama?" Mole said, standing still and waiting for the older man's next instructions.

The elder glanced back at the boy, pulled from his ruminations. "Your orders remain the same," he told him flatly. "Become her confidante, and find out as much as you can."

Mole knelt. "Yes, Danzou-sama." He disappeared in an eruption of leaves, and the old man took the opportunity to open the girl's file again.

He stared down at the medical records, at the small, 3x2 photo taken for her ninja ID card. That mild and unreadable smile. That red hair that was so _difficult_ to explain. Now, it seemed, he had his answer. '_Hiruzen... have you been hiding this from me all along?'_ he wondered, pushing down the rising annoyance. He set the folder in his desk drawer and locked it, then stood, deciding to pay his old friend a much-needed visit.

Unlike his ever-energetic subordinates, here one moment and gone the next, Danzou took his sweet time in meandering towards the Hokage Tower. It wasn't too far of a walk, and at an age like his, one only expelled just enough effort as one needed to.

Not that he_ couldn't _expel more effort, but he didn't feel he needed to. He had rightfully earned his place in the village's hierarchy, had fought and slaved for it. He felt no need to run when he could walk. Who would question his motives? Naturally, he wasn't quite satisfied just yet- his end goal had always been the hat, after all- but he was content with himself. Especially now that he was more _ in the know._

His war buddy was in his office, as was his won't. He had left the chuunin down below assign the missions for the day, and was staring rather introspectively off into the distance as Danzou stepped through the threshold. He knew better than to assume Hiruzen hadn't noticed his presence, and so inclined his head in a shallow show of fealty.

"Good morning, my friend," the man spoke, eyes flitting to the bandaged man with a goodnatured smile. The war hawk hated that; how could he give him such a well-meaning look, when he had kept him in the dark for so long?

"A fortuitous morning indeed," Danzou replied, closing the door behind him and waving a meaningful hand in the air.

The Hokage wasted no time in sending off his personal guard and setting off a silencing seal. He looked unruffled as Danzou strolled to the center of the room, trying to read his expression. To his surprise, Hiruzen was the one to speak first, barring no words. "You seem cross with me today," he noted evenly, "moreso than usual."

Danzou chuckled. "I suppose you could say that," he replied. "One tends to feel that way when their long-time friend withholds the truth from them."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed sharply. He wasn't the only one keeping secrets, and they both knew it. "What do you believe I'm withholding from you?" he asked.

"The Shimizu girl. She's Uzumaki, is she not?" Danzou said, nails digging into his staff as he waited patiently for the other man's response.

To his infinite surprise, the Hokage merely raised an eyebrow. "An Uzumaki? Interesting," he hummed.

The war hawk controlled his expression. "You're trying to tell me you did not know," Danzou said flatly.

Hiruzen shrugged, leaning back in his chair. He dug around in his desk for a moment, procuring a pipe and a jar of tobacco the way he always did when he had something to think about. "I did not know," he confirmed. "I did not think to have her tested. You took her blood, didn't you? During the ANBU trial she went through?" Danzou inclined his head. His friend stuffed his pipe and lit the end with a long matchstick. "I suppose it isn't _ that _surprising, given her hair color. And all of that chakra."

Danzou almost glared. Why was the man being so... casual about it? Did he really not care?

The importance of having an Uzumaki in their village was undeniable. Their prowess in fuuinjutsu, as well as the deep wells of their chakra, were assets. Their clan technique, the chakra chains, was also incredibly useful- especially should they need to suppress the jinchuuriki boy.

But how had she come to be? She was the same age as the Uzumaki boy, which meant she was born after the dissolution of the clan. It was exceedingly rare to find an Uzumaki so young- nigh impossible. And therein lied the reason Hiruzen hadn't told him about her. He'd always known that background had been fake, but it seemed like it was more problematic than expected.

The Hokage sighed, black smoke rising to circulate in the air. "You think I concealed her identity from you," he grunted. Danzou didn't reply. "Whether or not she is an Uzumaki is of little import. She _herself_ didn't seem to know, given that she hadn't told me a surname when she arrived here. But I will gladly tell the child- I am sure she would be more than pleased to know her true origins."

It didn't pan out. He _knew_ it didn't. There was something Hiruzen wasn't telling him. He had no doubt at all that he'd had the girl's blood tested. He'd _had_ to have suspected her origins, given the vibrancy of her hair color and her strangely deep pools of chakra.

"Hiruzen," the elder began, "we cannot successfully keep this village safe if we are not all on the same page."

Hiruzen smiled thinly. "Does this truly change anything? If anything, this is a very fortunate thing to have happened. After all-" His dark eyes narrowed. "Well, anyway. I'll call her here immediately to inform her and to give her the scroll for her clan technique. I'm assuming you have no objections?"

'_Hah! As if that would make a difference.'_ "I do not." Danzou turned his back, scowling only slightly. "I'll take my leave, then."

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood abruptly as his old friend left his office, and moved to the window. The skies were bright and clear, sun beaming. As his hidden ANBU flooded the room again, he said aloud, "Squirrel, summon Shimizu Charlie to my office immediately." The darkly clad woman knelt and nodded, before disappearing.

He put his pipe to his mouth again, thoughts swirling in his mind. '_How strange. I was sure...'_

The girl of the hour knocked on his door around five minutes later. A small smile lifted his face; she'd gotten faster. She did need to learn to suppress that energetic chakra of hers more, though. "Come in," he called, turning around to face her.

Charlie bowed respectfully, despite her unwashed appearance. Her black training clothes were covered in dust, her skin was muddy, and that red hair of hers was tangled and greasy and hung in her eyes. "Good morning, Hokage-sama," she said in a composed manner. Ever the industrious girl.

With a slight move of his hand, he dismissed the ANBU in the room. It seemed he had to do that quite a lot in her presence, but it felt more and more like everything regarding her was a secret. Including this, though not a well-kept one.

"Good morning, Charlie-chan. Training going well?"

A small smile grew on her face, though by the way joy danced in her eyes he knew she was suppressing how happy she truly was. "It's easier to control this chakra of mine. And Sasuke is talking to me again." Her gaze flitted away. "I'm glad you're talking to me again, too."

Hiruzen sighed. "I should've expected you'd do something like that, Charlie-chan. It's been long forgiven. Though, I did call you here for a reason." She nodded, face morphing into expressionlessness.

He leaned down and ran his hand over the lower drawer of his desk. The seal unlocked, and he pulled it open, fumbling through its contents before procuring the rather lofty scroll he'd been keeping for who-knows-how long. "When you underwent your ANBU exam, they did a blood test on you. They discovered that you have Uzumaki blood in you."

She blinked several times. "...I... don't see how that is possible," she finally responded, no inflection in her tone. He seemed to have taken her completely by surprise.

The Hokage grimaced. "To tell you the truth, I have been trying to understand how it could happen as well."

He swallowed nervously as hazel hardened to amber, her dark pupils the insects caught inside. She truly looked fearsome like that, even as a child. He couldn't fathom how intimidating she'd be as a full adult. "Ah, that's right. You did a blood test on me when I first entered the village."

"Please understand, I did not mean to keep it from you forever. I just wanted to be able to give you the answers to the questions you no doubt have now. Unfortunately, telling you now was unavoidable." He held out the scroll, and she took it wordlessly. "Danzou now knows of your family origins. This scroll is for the Uzumaki clan's technique, Adamantine Chakra Chains. It is yours to do with what you will. And... there is one more thing."

Charlie met his gaze with a calculating one of her own. "He was not the one to send those headhunters after me."

"Exactly. Which means that there is someone else out there who knew of your identity before almost everyone else."

Her teeth grit. "It is becoming more and more obvious that I did not come here by chance."

Hiruzen inclined his head. There was an enemy somewhere out there that neither of them wanted to believe existed.

* * *

"I really don't get it," Charlie mumbled, lying starfish-style on the ground as she stared blankly upwards. For once, her engine of a brain had stuttered to an absolute stop.

"What don't you get?"

"SHIT!" The redhead bolted upright, neck snapping to glare at the person who had materialized behind her. It was Kakashi, giving her a mocking eye-smile and waving from his crouched position. "Kakashi-sensei?" she said questioningly.

Wow. Perhaps all of her friends had decided to forgive her at once.

As he leaped from the overhanging rock down to her level, he shoved his hands in his pockets. He didn't say anything, only stood there until she awkwardly got to her feet. "Well? You're really not one to talk to yourself," the silver-haired man remarked casually.

Charlie controlled her expression before she could grimace. She couldn't really say that she'd been talking to Minato just then. "I just... found out something that's surprising me, I guess," she grumbled, looking away.

They always seemed to meet here, on top of the monument. She couldn't deny that it was a great view- she'd sat here for hours, long enough to see the way the sun descended and painted the sky in red and purple. Long enough to watch the streetlights turn on, to hear the crowds slowly quiet.

"Something that surprised _you_?" Kakashi put a sarcastic emphasis on 'you'. "The all-knowing, all-powerful Shimizu Charlie?"

She really didn't have the motivation to rise to his teasing. "Uzumaki Charlie, apparently," Charlie replied in a mumble.

"Hah?"

She rolled her eyes. "You heard me."

"Huh." Kakashi shrugged, turning to look down on the village just as she did. He didn't seem all that phased by the news, until- "Wait-"

"Yeah."

"...Alright, then," he finally said. "So what you're thinking is-"

"Uh huh."

He breathed a deep sigh through his nose. "Trouble follows you everywhere." Then, to her surprise, he put one gloved hand on top of her head. She supposed it was his socially awkward way of comforting her, and smiled a little.

"Ain't that the damn truth."

"How's the training going?" he asked after a few beats of silence. Her smile turned to a grimace; now, how to circumvent the situation so he didn't end up angry at her all over again? "You look constipated."

She flushed, glaring upwards. "I am _not- _shut up!" she sputtered. "An-y-way, um, good I guess? I'm... learning how to fight with only one hand," she revealed nervously. "And how to balance my chakra better."

"Good. It shouldn't be too hard for you," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.

Her lips flattened. Was he kidding? It was incredibly hard!

"Anyway," she finally said, clearing her thoughts. "How's the team? Are they... y'know, working together?"

The man chuckled at her nervous lilt. "Sometimes," he replied. "Better than I expected. The boys even help each other." She turned to give him wide eyes. "Shocking, I know," he plowed ahead. "Sakura, though... Sakura still needs some work."

"She's very smart," the redhead commented.

"No one can deny that," Kakashi said, sounding a bit confused.

Charlie smirked at him. "Aaaand her chakra control is quite good."

He gave a longsuffering sigh. "If you're trying to get at something, just say it directly," he begged.

"I'm just saying that medical ninjutsu won't be out of her reach, is all," she said innocently.

He crossed his arms, not meeting her gaze as he stared off in thought. "We're meant to be a attack team, not a support team, Charlie-"

"I know that already," the girl rolled her eyes, "but medical ninjutsu doesn't automatically mean 'support team', does it? From what I've seen, she's got a good pair of fists on her too."

One dark gray eye narrowed. "So... you're saying I'm teaching the next Senju Tsunade."

"No, you're training Haruno Sakura. They just happen to share certain... proclivities. And anyway..." Charlie glanced over her shoulder, a mild smile rising on pale lips. "We're not alone anymore."

Kakashi sighed, throwing his hands in his pocket as he turned on his heels. Sasuke winced the whole way out of his hidden perch above the two, and gave the two of them an awkward wave as he leaped down. He'd only been there for a few seconds, but his chakra was rather sizeable for a kid his age. She was proud of herself for noticing him right away- it meant she was improving, hopefully.

"Hi," the sullen boy mumbled sheepishly.

"And on that note, I'm out of here. Tomorrow at 6, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi called cheerfully, before shunshinning away. Charlie rolled her eyes; did he think there was something between them or something? She turned back to the Uchiha, expecting him to be making the same expression- however, he seemed more serious than usual. His dark eyes seemed to gleam in the dim light.

"What's up, Sasuke?" she voiced casually, popping a squat right where she stood and crossing one leg over the other. He mimicked her after a moment, frowing thoughtfully.

"I came to apologize," he said eventually, and so quiet she almost couldn't hear him. Hazel eyes blew wide; what a development! She'd never heard him apologize before.

Charlie had to play it carefully, though. Sasuke was a sensitive creature, and one wrong move would cause a ripple effect. So she frowned a little and said, "Apologize for what?"

His gaze flickered to her, and then back down to his hands. "I... said something I didn't mean, back at the hospital. You didn't deserve it. I'm sorry."

The words were short and clipped, and yet she could feel his chakra wavering in his system as though it were her own. He was nervous. '_He's not gone off the rails yet. He's not lost in his hatred yet,'_ she reminded herself. '_He's still just a misled kid.'_

A small smile curved her lips. "I know you didn't mean it, Sasuke," she told him gently, causing his head to snap up in surprise. "You're never one to panic and lose control of your mouth. You must've been really shocked, huh?"

"...Yes," he replied eventually, finally meeting her gaze.

"To be honest, I was too." She laughed, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "But... bad stuff happens. I'm learning to deal with it. It means a lot to me that you were worried for me, that everyone worried for me."

"Hn." A small flush rose to the kid's face.

"There's something I've been thinking about, by the way, Sasuke," she added, leaning forward to emphasize the point. He blinked at her, furrowing his eyebrows. "Before I was in Konoha, I was living as... as a slave. I was all alone. Nobody talked to me, nobody asked me if I was okay or what I wanted for dinner. I'm not used to people caring about me, to having friends. But I'm _happy_ that I'm here. I'm _happy _to have friends that worry about me. I'd rather have my other arm cut off than to go back to having nothing."

"Charlie-"

Her lips were trembling, and even if she was technically lying to him about her backstory, the rest of it, the truth, was coming out like a geyser. "I know you were all alone, and I know how you got that way. I know that you want to focus on your goal, and- if that is what makes you feel better, then I'll support you. But I can't stand the idea of you being all alone, like I was. You don't... you don't recognize it as pain, until you've had the love of others and realized just how crappy it was before that. So... I guess what I'm saying is, I know you want to go in all alone, and I know nobody could possibly understand what you've gone through... but it's much better to face bad things with friends than with yourself."

Sasuke looked away, face pinched like he was thinking very hard about something. "What... makes you say all that?" he wondered out loud.

Her smile looked like that of a child about to burst into tears. "I'm a genius," she told him. "How could I possibly not know what my friends are going through? Or what runs through their heads?"

"... Then, thank you," he said simply, and surprised her by reaching up and resting a hand on her head. She blinked at him. "I think... you're right." Her mouth opened to say something, but he took his hand away, flushing again.

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the night air, before the black-haired boy lifted his head up. "Charlie, I wanted to ask you something."

She cocked her head. "Fire away."

"All this training that you're doing... this new kid, Sai... what are you planning to do?"

'_ Ah, that, well...'_ She smiled ruefully. "I have a lot of plans, you know," she said. "I want to make Naruto Hokage, for one. I want to help you make things right, for another. I want people to face justice, and I want to establish peace and eradicate pain in this world. I can't really do any of that if I let a pesky arm get in the way, y'know?"

Dark eyes were wide. "What... are you saying that-"

Her gaze hardened over. "I will do whatever it takes for peace. My arm, my leg, my heart- they can have it. Hell, they can have all of me. But I'm just getting started. I'm going to crush the evil in this world, if it kills me. That's what I've decided."

Sasuke slowly nodded. "Then, I will support you too."

Charlie grinned. "Hey, I have an idea. Do you think Naruto and Sakura are busy right now?"

He frowned. "Don't know?"

"We're going out. Ichiraku's. I'll tell Naruto, you tell Sakura. Got it?"

"Do I really have to-"

"What are you, five? _Go_."

The Uchiha sighed and waved his hand as she got to her feet. "Whatever..." he grumbled.


	26. Chapter 26

**IMPORTANT A/N: This story will be going on a few month hiatus while I edit, consolidate, and finish writing this fic. We're nowhere near done, but I'd like to have a decent idea of where I'm going without publishing something I'm not confident in. **

**I may be uploading the next chapter too since it's decently important but maybe later. **

**For now, please enjoy :)**

**Chapter 26**

Time passed quickly after that.

Things were going productively, in Charlie's humble opinion. Her friends were talking to her again, and her chakra control was improving by the day. Sai was quickly adapting to acting like a real human, and Minato... Minato was great.

They had agreed to take things slow. As things were, she was still a little iffy on whether or not a true relationship would... y'know, work. Things needed to iron out first. Like the fact that he didn't have a body of his own. Like the fact that she didn't look her actual age, until they were alone in her mindspace. Like the fact that everything was going to come to a head soon.

And why was everything coming to a head soon?

She had sensed it before anyone told her. Minato had told her that maybe it was her own latent abilities awakening, or that perhaps his own abilities were finally starting to make their appearances- however it happened, she could feel it when new people started to flood into the village. The shinobi started coming in first- she could tell, because their chakra signatures were sizeable. Always in groups of four, and always with one signature larger than the rest.

It was exam season. _Exam season_.

"I feel just as unprepared for it as I was a year ago," she grumbled, clenching her fists and resisting the urge to kick her feet like a child.

Minato smirked above her, one arm pinning her wrist to the ground. Her other was held tight and unuseable to her body- the one she was missing, back in real life. It was hard going- to fight without it, to live without it. "You're getting better," he encouraged.

Charlie sighed as he leaned back on his haunches and allowed her space to get up. "Not nearly as good as I could be." As productive as she had been, she could barely use Breakthrough. She could do a messy shunshin again, though not yet in the heat of a fight. She could walk on trees again. But this wasn't where she wanted to be by this point.

"What's the name of that list you have? Seven Backup Plans for the Future?" Minato chuckled.

She glared. "None of those backup plans account for me losing an _arm_, Minato."

"And what does the Hokage have to say about Plan D?"

The redhead scoffed, getting to her feet as the blond followed suit. "He's not concerned with anything. You should've seen how he waved his hand at me this morning. I could've wrung his neck."

"Did he not send anyone to Suna?"

"Oh, naturally not!" She grit her teeth. "And Gaara's already here, anyway. I can feel how pissed he is all the time- his chakra signature just flares, constantly. And I'm sure Rasa's already dead, anyway." Plan D started the same as all the other plans: minimizing deaths, maximizing profits. She had tried to get the Hokage to send someone to the Kazekage tow warn him of his incoming death months ago, but Hiruzen had been reluctant.

"First of all," the old man had said, "the Kazekage would not believe us. As tenuous as our alliance is, he might even take it as a threat. And second of all, if we preserve his life, then that Gaara that you're so concerned with will not inherit the hat, potentially for a long time. And thirdly, the Kazekage was behind much of the boy's pain in the first place- sustaining him would only stunt his growth. Finally, upon realizing their faults after the fact, we form a treaty with them- which will be much more beneficial in the future."

Ugh!

"The audacity!" Charlie sighed, banging her head against her palm. The Hokage had made many good points, but it was hard to justify allowing someone to be killed just because it benefitted them.

"May I make a prediction?" Minato asked tentatively as they began their spar again. She grunted her assent as she ducked under his arm and pivoted on her foot to slam her knee into his hip. He huffed, off balance, and grabbed her leg before she could lower it, pushing and letting her fall unceremoniously on her backside. She pouted as he grinned boyishly. "My prediction is that Hokage-sama will allow himself to be hurt, or even killed. I think he will allow this part of the plotline continue unfettered."

"Why?" She frowned, then squeaked as he lunged at her. She rolled out of the way just in time, though his hand closed around her ankle. She grumbled under her breath as he effortlessly pulled her closer, and they wrestled a bit before she managed to kick him onto his own back.

"It gives an excuse for a new Hokage, one," Minato said, throwing his feet up defensively as she leaped at him. She kicked them out of the way, and landed rather hard on his gut. "It is a significant part of the plotline, two," he gasped, winded. She locked her legs around his neck just the way he taught her, and grinned savagely as he struggled under her. "And it allows him to incapacitate Orochimaru, three," he finished, face slowly turning red as her thighs cut off oxygen.

Eventually, he tapped her hip and she released him, feeling rather proud. "Yeah but he could always step down anyway. Plus, he could be really useful in the future even if he's _not_ acting Hokage."

A pensive expression crossed Minato's face then. "Charlie, I know you want to save everyone... and I think it is a noble goal, believe me- but the Hokage knows what he is doing. He's lived for a very long time, and his strategic thinking is second to none, not even you. If this is what he wants, I'm not sure you should involve yourself with it."

She bit the inside of her cheek. "I know, I just..." she looked down, scuffing her shoe. "I just don't want anyone to die."

He stepped forward and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Neither do I."

And she realized then that even though Sarutobi Hiruzen was like a grandfather to her, he was a grandfather to _him _first.

"So..." she mumbled, rolling off his torso and lying on her back. Their shoulders were close enough to brush together, but only just, and he grabbed for her hand as though it wasn't enough. "Instead of Plan D... what do you think about a Plan H?"

Minato sighed. "Another plan?"

"Okay, no, hear me out before you judge me," she grumbled, turning to glare into the side of his face until he gave her an exhausted smile. "Plan H will be different from the other plans."

"How so?"

"First," she held up a finger. "I'll let everything continue as normal until Sasuke's match. I'm going to take out Kabuto as soon as the feathers start falling."

Minato choked. "C-Charlie, I'm not sure you'll make it to the second step," he coughed. Clearing his throat, he then said, "You know as well as I how strong that boy is."

"Whatever soul he had is long gone, Minato," she defended. "Plus he creates a lot of problems in the future. Besides, you'll help me. Won't you?" Her eyes widened and she held them open, letting tears gloss them.

The blond man stood strong for about seven seconds. "... Do I even want to hear the rest of your plan?"

She grinned, blinking away the water. "After that, I'm breaking that blockade and helping Hokage-sama kick Orochimaru's ass."

Cerulean eyes turned dark. "Absolutely not. If the Third couldn't kill him, you won't be able to either."

"All he had was Enma," she reminded him. "And I know what is going to happen in the fight. And... there's another person that I'm bringing with me." She told him the rest of her plan eagerly. This was her element, after all: planning. It just so happened to help that she knew the future.

Around five minutes later, the stressed blond's shoulders finally eased. "If that works... if you can get _that_ person on board... then I suppose the village will owe you a large debt of gratitude," he mumbled, running an exhausted hand over his face.

She smirked. "Nobody needs to know what happened except the council. Best if they trust me unequivocally."

Minato raised an eyebrow as the redhead leaned back and stared at the sky. "You're quite the plotter."

She glanced at him- and winked.

* * *

The next morning, after another several hours of exhaustive training and planning with Minato, she opened her eyes to sunlight steaming between the blinds. "Shit, I think we took a lot of time up," she mumbled to herself blearily and glancing at the clock.

It was already 9 AM.

With a muttered curse, she leapt from her warm cocoon and stumbled to the bathroom for a three minute shower and to brush her teeth. She dressed in her usual attire- black sandals, black tactical pants, mesh top, black bandeau- and threw her hair into a ponytail. Her hitai-ate found its home holding back her fringe from her face.

Over her time in this world, she'd realized that it was easier to just have multiple sets of the same thing. Most people did the same. And as uninclined as she was to bother with fashion, having everything black was just easier.

Plus it kind of matched her ANBU gear.

She groaned to herself as she felt Sai's presence nearing her door. His chakra felt like the stillness of a pond and like ink bleeding into water. It was quite recognizable.

**"You're getting quite good at that," **Minato remarked pleasantly as she raced to the kitchen for something to eat.

'_Another mystery I've yet to solve,_' she thought to herself. Why was she getting so much better at sensing chakra? It wasn't like she'd complain- but it was odd, especially since she'd written off chakra sensing almost completely after the first few weeks.

But it was unimportant for now, because Sai was knocking in a measured fashion on her door.

No doubt, he was wondering what she was up to.

She grabbed a pear and put a protein bar in her pocket for later before shuffling to the door, pear in mouth and hand fighting to clip her kunai pouch to her belt.

Charlie threw open the door in a hurried manner and smiled weakly at the person waiting on her welcome mat.

The black haired boy stared at her blankly. "You were late," he said. "I thought you may have slept in."

"Sorry you had to come all the way out here," she told him, linking their elbows and pulling him from the door. 'Sleeping in' was as good an excuse as any. She couldn't exactly tell him what she was actually up to.

In her opinion, the less Sai knew, the better. She wasn't a fool- as much as she was crawling her way into his heart, he was still under Danzou's thumb, and would be until she was able to destroy Root. She had little doubt that he was reporting each and every thing to the old geezer. "So, where to, buckaroo?" she asked as they spilled out onto the street. The sky was bright and shining, and she smiled at the scent of ozone and pine. Being outside was the best way to start the day.

"We are going to the administrative building," Sai replied. He gave a small smile.

She paused momentarily in her steps. "Ah? How come?"

"Danzou-sama says that it is time for your first mission," the boy recited. "He is now satisfied with your progress."

"_Is _he now? Will you be going with me?" This wasn't ideal. Was the elder thinking of having her outside the village during the Crush? She fought back the urge to bite her fingernails.

"I do not know. Perhaps." They said nothing more, and sped off down the road towards the squat gray building.

Sai cordially opened the door for her once they arrived, and she praised him with a grin. He was learning so quickly. They took the stairs up to Danzou's office, and the boy rapped thrice on the oaken door. "Enter," came the old man's frigid voice.

Charlie wiped the grimace off her face as the two of them passed into the room. It was dimly lit with torches on the walls, and the window behind his large desk had its shades drawn. How eerie. Nerves were crawling in her stomach like worms. "Good afternoon," she managed to the village elder seated behind his desk.

The old man nodded, and cut straight to the chase. "You have shown decent progress during your training with Mole. I have decided that you are fit for duty. I sent in my report this morning, and Hokage-sama has already found a mission fit for the both of you. You are both to report to his office posthaste." Charlie suppressed a laugh- _posthaste?_

"Mole, you are dismissed. Mouse, I will go over in depth the report Mole has made of you." The boy turned on his heels and walked out silently, robotically, and Charlie watched him go. "Please, sit." He indicated to the single chair sat in front of his desk.

Slowly, she obeyed, sitting primly on the edge. Danzou put on a pair of reading glasses, glancing over the manilla file in front of him with harsh eyes. She wondered if he wouldn't have an easier time reading if he turned on the actual ceiling lights. "Your taijutsu has improved exponentially. What you lack in physical strength, you make up for in speed. Your fault lies in your lower-than-ideal stamina. Your ninjutsu is also improving. Your control over your chakra is better than any your age, and you've managed to learn a wind jutsu despite your _impediment_. You use your high reserves efficiently. Your fault lies in, well, _the obvious. _You also show promise in sealing, and excel in survival skills."

'_There's that word again- impediment.__ If I don't talk to this man ever again it would be too soon_.'

Danzou continued after she said nothing. "This, as well as your intelligence and mental fortitude, qualifies you for your first mission. This is a trial run of sorts. Trust that I had thought you would've improved more by now, but I am sufficiently satisfied that you won't die. Provided you return successful, you will face true ANBU training- which is not to be taken lightly. Is this clear." He said the last part as more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, sir," she replied, feeling the urge to wring his throat. She stood, bowed a little, and made her way out.

Her brain, as usual, began to whirr. '_So let me get this straight. Danzou sends a report of my progress to the Hokage, a _week_ before the exams start? And the Hokage _instantly_ finds a mission for me?_'

It all made sense, and she paused in the hallway, fury and horror coalescing in her gut. Her fist clenched by her side. '_Both of them are getting me out of the way for the chuunin exams. Danzou so I wouldn't interfere with Orochimaru's plans, and the Hokage so I wouldn't interfere with- his _death_?!'_

She started to walk, and then she started to run. '_Oh, don't worry,_ Hokage-sama_, you don't have to worry about the chuunin exams if _I _get to you first!'_ Flashes of Minato's face flew in front of her eyes. Both of them knew that the old man had faults, but deep down, she knew neither of them were okay with standing by the wayside and letting him perish. Even if that _was_ what Hiruzen wanted.

* * *

Charlie watched as a bead of sweat ran down his temple. Good. He ought to be nervous. She stood next to three others clad in black, all of them wearing their masks. Thankfully, there were still eyeholes through which he could see her displeasure.

He cleared his throat. "Your mission is to infiltrate the base of an organization that is terroristic in nature by the border. We've been keeping a close eye on it as of late, and it seems they are close to making their move. The Daimyou wants it gone."

"Do we want them captured or killed," came a smooth, familiar voice from beside her. Charlie glanced over- it was that woman, from her very first day. Spider.

"We want all but one taken out. This-" he raised a picture of a hulking man with black hair and a black mask covering his face- "is whom we presume to be the leader. We want him captured, ideally. We don't even have his name yet." They all nodded. "Spider will be squad leader. You set out in an hour."

He handed the dark haired woman the mission scroll and inclined his head, to which the others mimicked.

The three others clad in black disappeared in an instant, leaving the lone redheaded girl to stare intensely at him. "Hokage-sama... what are you trying to do?"

The Hokage frowned, finally tired of her attitude. "... My job. You would do well to remember yours."

"I know mine quite well, thank you," she said frigidly, and disappeared before she did something she'd regret. '_The real shit starts in about a month. If this mission takes that long, then- then-'_

**"Focus, Charlie." **There was little inflection in Minato's tone as he admonished her.

'_How I hate bureaucracy.'_ If that was how he wanted to play it, then fine. She would abide by his rules for now. But she would be damned if she wasn't back in the village before shit went down for real.

An hour wasn't that much time to prepare for a long term mission such as this one, but it was enough if you were prepared. And Charlie was nothing if not prepared. First, she stopped by her locker so she could grab her backpack (prefilled with her gear and food). ANBU weren't meant to be seen or identified, so she wouldn't gear up until right before she was meant to leave.

Then, with a knowing gleam in her eye, she set off towards her second destination. There was just one person she needed to pass a message on to, and she had a feeling she knew where to find him.

* * *

"Our goal is to get to the border in three days," Spider said, a lone tanned finger trancing the route they would need to take. The team was huddled about a mile from the village, fully geared up. "Despite the nice weather recently, it's still quite a long ways to go. We will be going at it hard.

"I have plenty of soldier pills, but I do hope that you all brought something else to eat for yourselves. We won't have time to hunt. Finally, let's introduce ourselves and our specialties since I see we have a newcomer. I specialize in poison, as you may have guessed from my name. I'm also adept at medical ninjutsu. Next." Spider turned to glance at Mole.

"My technique is with ink. It allows me to create beasts that can fly or attack. Assassination is my specialty," the boy said in a monotone.

Tiger shifted on his haunches. He was a bit brawnier than most ninja she'd seen, but he carried it well. "I am a taijutsu master. I also specialize in assassination, but I am at my best as a bruiser of sorts."

Spider turned to Charlie, and she could almost sense the smirk on the woman's lips. "And the newbie."

"I am good at taijutsu, and I'm pretty damn fast. I'm alright at enhancing my strength with chakra- better than most, I guess. I am also good at sealing. Most of my strength lies in my brain though- I am perceptive as well as a chakra sensor, and I never forget. Anything."

"Anything?" Tiger hummed, a teasing lilt in his tone.

"Anything," she confirmed. "Usually this means books, but it works on my surroundings too."

Tiger chuckled. "Alright. Weird quirk."

"Since this is your first mission, don't try anything heroic," Spider interrupted, rolling up the map and rising to her feet. "You are in the supporting position, meaning you do what we tell you to. Don't run off on your own, don't kill anyone without our say-so, and keep your mouth shut. You're basically job shadowing."

Charlie almost snorted- '_Well, we know how well my last job shadow turned out.'_

Instead, she waved her hand. "I've got it, I've got it," she said.

"Good. Let's go." The four of them disappeared, leaving the forest floor far below as they took to the trees.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Hi again. This is a short but vital chapter- in it, we introduce a very important character. I'm quite happy to see the mystery begin to unfold! Sidebar: someone pointed out in the last chapter, quite correctly, that she is getting arrogant. I couldn't agree more. Despite how far she's come, she's still a person who's been told she's smarter and better than everyone else her entire life. Hint: the fight does not end with Charlie kicking a Sannin's ass. But I am curious as to what y'all think is going to happen- as well as this mysterious person we've mentioned. Let me know~! Also thank you to Illuminated, who left a very sweet review :') ****Hope you all are doing well and staying hydrated.**

**All the love!**

**Chapter 27**

* * *

"You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"... You _sure _you good?"

"Shut up, Tiger." Charlie leaned against a tree heavily as she pulled her canteen from her sealing scroll and took a swig. It had been five hours, and they were finally taking a break.

As hard as it was to admit, it was difficult to keep up with their fast pace. She and Sai were both children- well, she was in the _body _of a child, but still- and yet the dark haired boy had barely worked up a sweat. He sat against a tree, staring at nothing.

"I'm surprised you kept up," Tiger continued. His wolfish grin was in full view as he took a swig from his own canteen. He looked to be in his late twenties, with a rogueish glint in his eye and ginger hair. His face was wide and earnest. There was no way to tell if this was his actual appearance or a genjutsu, but she had a feeling he wasn't the type to hide himself much. "I didn't know they still let shrimps like you into the fold."

"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't keep up," the redhead grumbled, rolling her eyes. "And just because I'm small does not mean I'm weak."

"How'd you lose your arm?"

She nearly spat out the water she'd been drinking. Coughing roughly, she scowled at him as he grinned innocently. "Maybe I'm sensitive about it?"

"If you were a sensitive little girl you wouldn't be here," the man said wisely. "It looks fresh."

Charlie shrugged. "It got lobbed off, that's all."

"You're only 3/4 of the kid you used to be."

"I'll hide your body where they won't look."

The man chuckled.

'_This isn't like what I thought it would be,' _Charlie thought, watching the big guy meander over to bother Sai instead.

**"What did you think it would be?"** Minato asked.

'_Hmm... more cover of darkness, more killing, less laughter.'_

**"While that's certainly a part of it, I think any sane person would lose their humanity quickly if they didn't find a way to cope,"** the blond replied astutely. Hazel eyes drifted towards Sai again, his blank face as the brute above him tried in vain to make him laugh. How did _he_ cope? Or rather, _did_ he cope?

"You're staring pretty hard at Mole there," Spider interrupted her conversation in that smooth voice of hers. Charlie blinked back to reality and shrugged as the woman jokingly elbowed her.

"He's an odd guy," she replied blandly.

"Do you _like_-"

"Don't even," the redhead interrupted. "He's like... like a kid brother."

"Eh? He's about your age, isn't he?"

"Be that as it may, I see him as someone who needs looking after," Charlie said shortly. She stowed her canteen away in her scroll and glanced at the woman, feeling her strange gaze on her back. "When are we headed out again?"

"A few minutes. Why did you join ANBU?"

Charlie blinked. Spider did truly look curious, her eyebrows raised and her sharp violet eyes beseeching. "It was the only way," she grumbled hesitantly. "If the Hokage had his way, I'd be stuck doing D-ranks for the rest of my life."

"Seems kind of odd that you'd go from one extreme to the other, though." Doubt colored the older woman's tone.

The redhead winced. She had a gut feeling that the less Spider knew, the better. "...I think it would be a crying shame if I didn't use the whole of my abilities for the village, to be honest," she mumbled. It was true, she really thought that. But she neglected to mention that Danzou would not have given her support in the council if she had not taken this route.

This, or nothing. But she could see why it surprised the woman.

The woman ran a scarred hand through the short curls of dark hair on her head before sighing and letting it go. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You're better off quitting." There was no malice in her voice or her face as she looked at the girl, only pity.

"Don't worry," Charlie found herself saying, a small smile curving her lips and creasing her eyes. "I don't intend on dying just yet."

Spider hesitantly returned the smile with an unfeeling smirk of her own. "Then, I have a piece of advice for you," she said as Charlie's gaze wandered to their two teammates. "Stay away from other ANBU unless you have to be in their presence. We're all wolves here. Even the littlest ones."

From across the glade, Sai's black eyes burned into her own.

* * *

The port city of Hagurashi* was the epicenter of commerce in the Land of Fire. More trade happened there in its crowded streets and harbor than in almost any other part of the country. Merchants selling anything and everything set up rickety stands wherever they pleased, and the port authorities turned a blind eye so long as they received a cut. The scent of the sea and its occupants wafted far beyond the shoreline and far beyond the bustling fish market that rested alongside it.

It was busy, and perhaps a bit corrupt, but for most citizens it was home. Their father's father's father had been a fisherman, and so too would be their son's son's son. Perhaps that was what made them vulnerable. When all one deals in is fishing, the ninja arts fall by the wayside.

Some ways away from the coast lied a ramshackle little place called Rei's Fish and Tackle. It was owned by a woman named Terumi (incidentally, her father's name was Rei), and sold any hardware one could need for fishing. Line which ranged from hair-thin to thicker than one's finger, all manner of fishing poles and lures, and bait by the pound.

The problem was, there were 5 other fish-and-tackle shops, all of them closer to the port than Rei's. Terumi made enough to keep the store open, but nothing more- and she was growing tired. She wasn't getting any younger, and the weight of poverty was a crushing one to bear. Over time, her shoulders hunched, her skin paled, and the bruising around her eyes never faded no matter how much she tried to sleep.

One could say it was a blessing for her when the Yuuhi** Brotherhood arrived on the scene. They arrived in dark clothes, and hitai-ate which bore a symbol she'd never seen before. She never saw a single one of their faces, but all she needed to see was their money before she pledged her allegiance.

All they wanted was her basement, originally. There were five or six members back then, all led by a slim young man with silver hair and unworldly white eyes. But membership expanded quickly. Soon, they took over her shop, as well as every other brick and mortar store on her street. The merchants with their moveable carts and tents were more or less left alone, but the most lucrative were made to pay fees.

Terumi was still quite satisfied. She never had to pay rent again, and though no knowledgeable citizen would ever trounce into her shop again, she never needed to worry about money.

The Yuuhi Brotherhood eventually took over the largest building in the area, and named it their headquarters. But their true leader remained in her basement, hidden from the outside world behind a trapdoor concealed with a genjutsu. She'd only ever seen one man enter and leave it, and he was so large and intimidating that she never dared to speak to him.

The silver haired one was the scariest of all, however.

He talked to her often, surprisingly. She made him food, did his laundry, and cleaned his quarters- a glorified maid, to be honest. If he appreciated it, however, his unreadable mask never let it be known. But he did talk to her.

Today, she was doing just that- cleaning, I mean. She had just tied closed the trashbag in his waste bin when he sat up from the chair he inhabited and said, "Terumi-san, do you believe you've led a hard life?"

The old woman cleared her throat. His voice was so monotone that it was impossible to read his intentions, and the black mask that covered all but his eyes left his expression unreadable. Was he threatening her? Was he genuinely serious? She never knew. All she could do was be honest. "In some ways, Shinsei-sama."

It was an odd name. 'Nova'. Surely it wasn't his true name.

"In what ways?" the boy pressed. And he was just that- a boy, or so she presumed. His voice was still youthful- he couldn't have been more than 18 or so.

"W-Well," she started hesitantly, "it is not easy to run a store all on your own. And there are many shops just like mine, and more convenient."

"And?"

Terumi's lips trembled. "Well, I am all alone here. My husband died, along with the rest of my family, many years ago." It wasn't anything tragic- a sickness had swept the area almost a decade ago. One would be hard-pressed to find a person who had not lost someone in this town, even now.

"Do you feel as though you could've lived a better life, or an easier one, somewhere else?"

"Why, I- I don't know, Shinsei-sama," the woman stuttered. "Why do you ask?"

His white eyes were as cold as glaciers as he stared at her, stared through her. "I am grateful for all you have done the past year or so, Terumi-san," he said, standing from his perch and putting his pale hands in his pockets. "I wish to reward you."

Frigid terror lanced down the woman's spine as she quickly lifted the garbage bag from the tin and smiled nervously. Funnily enough, she didn't think she'd like any sort of 'reward' from him. "It is my pleasure." '_Something is wrong here,' _she thought, the hair on her arms raising as a wave of electricity seemed to fill the air.

"Would you like to go somewhere else?" Shinsei wondered as he moved towards her, all feline grace as if he was gliding. "Would you like to _be_ someone else?"

"I-I-I am quite happy where I am at, thank you," she said, in a high-pitched tone which did not suit her.

"But wouldn't you like to be happy? What if I could send you to a place where you would want for nothing, for the rest of your life?"

"W-W-Well, I-I- I suppose I would-"

The milky expanse of his eyes suddenly swirled with black lines, all radiating from the dark-as-pitch epicenter. Her stomach clenched as they began to glow. What the hell was that? _What the hell-_ "Don't be so worried," he told her, grabbing hold of her arms as she fell weak and turned paler than a corpse under his judgement. Her thoughts spiraled away from her until she did not hear his words anymore. "I am sending you somewhere good. You should be grateful."

Her form began to stutter our of existence, her mind already some place else entirely. He waited until nothing was left of her but her faded dress and sandals, then he turned his attention towards the west, where one of his most recent mistakes was rushing towards him at breakneck speed.

"Most people don't get a choice in the life they lead," he mumbled to himself, before flickering away.

* * *

*Pulled that out of my ass. The Land of Fire does have a port city though ;)

**No relation to Kurenai.


End file.
